Goodnight Moon, Goodnight You
by hydekll
Summary: Ichi has just woken up in a world unlike the one he had fallen asleep in. Grimm was just passing through the town when he stumbled upon a comatosed Ichi. Unable to leave the first person he has discovered he becomes his caretaker.Grimm/Ichi
1. Life Support

**The characters in this story are inspired by the Anime Bleach. I do not own that wonderful Anime so sad but true.**

A/N: Well here is another story once again from the requests of faithNfantasy.

_Summary:Ichigo has just woken up in a world unlike the one he had fallen asleep in. Grimmjow was just passing through the town in search of someone important, when he stumbled upon a comatosed Ichigo. Unable to leave the first person he has discovered he becomes Ichigo's caretaker….._

**Enjoy my Imagination-Hydekll**

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><p>"Dwats wah seighen." The voice was garbled and it didn't make any sense. There was a grunt and then the voice chuckled. It was deep and raspy that voice belonging to a man. And he was laughing no doubt at his own joke.<p>

He went to move, to shift his eyes and ears towards the voice but the weight of his own body, was unsurmountable and so he had given up on the idea of trying to move immediately when the thought popped into his head. So instead he focused his thoughts on trying to open his heavy eyelids.

He wasn't in any pain, no; his body just felt incredibly foreign like he was his own dead weight. The voice carried on. The words now becoming more intelligible. Flowing deep and even and yet slightly raspy.

"Yeah, you woulda liked em" A chuckle from the voice. "What ya say?" Pause from the voice. "Yeah, I guess you can meet em, one day…._hopefully_." Sadness lined that last word and the unresponsive man, felt another weight added to his already heavy chest. His heart was breaking, why was he sad too. "You know Ichigo…."

_Ichigo!_

The man with dead weight for a body thought.

_Yes that's me!….I think…._

He began to feel slightly afraid, hyper aware that something wasn't entirely right with this situation. His eyes flickered open finally and immediately he regretted the action because there was a blinding light, pain and a flash of…..._blue_, he closed his eyes tightly. Doing his best to protect his eyes with his only line of defense at the moment his own eyelids.

_What did I just see?_

He thought thinking of that single flash of blue.

"Hey did I tell you bout the time me and Nnoi got caught smoking his dad's stash." There was a pause from the gruff voice and another chuckle. "No, I guess not, Well ya gonna fucking laugh at dis shit. What had happen wa-" The voice stopped abruptly when there was a peculiar sound from nearby. Sort of like a light tapping, Ichigo wish he could have told you exactly where the sound was coming from but sadly he was still disoriented. There was shuffling near Ichigo and he could only assume that the voice was the one moving around. "Shh Ichi! Imma check it out, stay right here." The voice had a tinge of fear laced with the words spoken. He thought he felt a pat to his shoulder, and then the sounds of retreating footsteps.

Ichigo tried to speak up, he had no idea who the voice belonged to, but obviously the voice knew him. When he tried to speak, he couldn't his throat and mouth was so dry, and it felt like his tongue was stuck to the roof of his mouth. He focused the little energy in his body towards his lips, straining with his might to pry open his own damn lips.

His mouth fell open, as did his eyes, this time when he blinked it didn't hurt as much so he just kept fluttering his eyes. They too were dry just like the inside of his mouth. His tongue darted out without his say so gliding over his lips. They were slightly chapped and cracked down the middle, but an oily substance coated his lips keeping them from paining him and cracking further.

"Uuugh." There it was his own damn voice he had found it finally. And now things were beginning to focus, albeit a bit hazy. The first thing he saw was the white styrofoam tiled ceiling to the room that he was in. He tried to move his neck but it too was stiff. No surprise there, this was beginning to become a trend. He craned his neck with much discomfort. He could see a single rectangular window, covered by thick vertical blinds which were closed. But from the orange and pink light filtering through the tiny slits created by the blinds he could tell the sun was going on down. A couple of feet away was a tan door, and Ichigo wondered where it led to, maybe an exit. He shifted his head up and there by his head he could see a hospital machine that stood alone on a pole but it had been turned off. Next to the machine was another silver metal pole slightly taller than the machine next to it. Towards the top of the pole it branched out into three curved hooks. On one of the hooks was a clear I.V. Bag with a light yellow liquid inside. Ichigo couldn't read what was on the bag the words were turned away from him. Tubing extended from the bag. His eyes followed the clear tubing that was filled with the yellow liquid, moving his stiff neck slowly. His eyes traveled downwards landing on the crook of his inner arm.

He looked at his arm for a moment it seemed so foreign. The I.V and it's fluid was going into his arm, true but he still couldn't feel his arm, or the rest of his body for that matter.

_No wait…._

He thought to himself as he began to feel sensation at the very tip of his toes.

_I think those are my toes. Oh no I hope I'm not paralyzed!_

He began to panic, his mind running rampant.

_Where is everybody? Where did that voice go? How did I get here?_

He began to look around the room frantically ignoring the protest from his neck. He was obviously in a hospital room, but something wasn't right. For one there wasn't any lights on, the blue cabinets with tan doors were open, some coming off their hinges and empty in the inside. A blue crash cart over to his right was over turned, the defibrillator broken in three pieces. The drawers to the cart all open and empty. Next to it was another monitor also broken in three pieces. One of the silver arms to his hospital bed was hanging halfway off and on the floor, and the bed itself was resting in the middle of the room at an angle. Off to the left Ichigo noticed a brown over-the-bed table. On the top of it wasn't the usual hospital food tray, instead were several ammunition clips of different sizes. A box of ammunition, a revolver and a hand gun. Ichigo pulled his eyebrows together, in confusion. If he hadn't been panicking before he surely was now.

_Voice come back! Voice…._

He felt utterly hopeless and pathetic and he hated it.

_Where are you?_

He swallowed, squinted his eyes closed took in a very shaky breath, then swallowed his own saliva again, moisturizing his vocal cords, before he attempted to call out.

"Heeep!" He tried to yell but instead it came out as a barely audible squeak. He tried to yell again but no words came out just a wheeze. So instead, he focused his ears trying to listen for someone walking by…..Anybody walking by….Nothing…..

_Oh God why is it so silent?_

He felt a tear at the corner of his eye, threatening to spill over. The sensation of his awakening body reaching to his knees now. He was a prisoner in his own fucking body, unable to move. So, he laid there waiting for the sounds of another human. He waited long enough to start questioning the fact that maybe he had been abandoned. He choked out a sob that sounded like another pathetic wheeze. He closed his eyes and let the tears fall. He had never been this afraid in his life.

_Or have I?_

And then waterworks began to run down in a quiet steady stream when the realization hit him.

_Oh god who am I?_

He couldn't remember shit! And just when he was about to lose all hope in just about everything. He heard heavy footsteps, clonking against a hard tile floor. The steps were coming closer and closer. This was it if he was going to get help, this would be the time. Ichigo swallowed quickly several times. As the footsteps drew closer he used the remaining strength in his body, squinting his eyes closed, he dug dip down for energy before he yelled out as loud as he could.

"HEEEELPP!" His voice came out a little louder than anticipated and that was a good thing, too. He wanted to be heard dammit! He didn't hear anything, no one rushing to his aid. In fact he didn't hear those footsteps either. Had he imagined the whole thing. His heart sank at the thought. He fluttered his eyes open, the sun had gone down and his hospital room was extremely dark. Except…. for a single lantern held by a figure in his hospital doorway. The lantern swayed back and forth in the figures hand.

The figure blocked the doorway considerably. It was extremely tall maybe a couple inches shorter than the doorframe.

"Ich-Ichigo?" The voice came out in an unsure whisper. It was deep, strong, raspy and….fearful. "Ichigo did you speak?" The voice asked.

_Well who else would yell for help in this room?_

Ichigo questioned in his mind. Not sure if his own voice would come out as another pathetic wheeze Ichigo chose to nod his head in response. But being that he hadn't actually regain control of his neck. What he thought was a nod actually was nothing.

"Fuck, I'm losing my mind!" The gruff voice spoke in earnest and it was in that moment Ichigo remembered how the voice sounded before and made the connection that it belonged to the figure standing before him. The man in the doorway dropped his lantern to his side and then his head. He looked so defeated. The man began to slowly saunter into the room.

"Iz youu." Ichigo managed to wheeze out. The man dropped his lantern, and then gasped in shock as he darted over to Ichigo's bed side.

"Ichigo!" The man's slightly larger frame hovered over him. His breath on Ichigo's face, and then he felt dry cold calloused hands grab either side of his face, and Ichigo couldn't help but moan at the sensation of a single touch to his otherwise sensation-less face. The man pulled one of his hands away when he realized that Ichigo's face was wet from his own tears. "Oh my fucking god! You _are_ awake Ichigo!" The man returned his hand to Ichigo's face. Ichigo felt a dry rag wiping at his tear stained face effectively drying it. "I ca-can't believe this shit. I mean I knew there was a chance you would wake up one day. I mean this shit's crazy right?" The voice began to shift Ichigo's head so that he could stare up into his face. "You're really awake right Ichigo?" Ichigo could make out the chiseled features of the man standing above him, but without efficient light he couldn't see anything else.

"Yea-yes." Ichigo answered the question. The voice's mouth fell open and he released Ichigo's face and stepped away. He scurried around to the foot of the bed where his lantern had fallen to the ground. Ichigo followed the man's movements with much interest. He picked up the lantern and held it up high near his face.

Ichigo had to catch his breath, but he didn't catch the word that escaped his lips.

"Blue." He whispered and the other man's brow crinkled together.

Standing in the darkness illuminated by a single green oil lantern, was Ichigo's caretaker. The man had messy light-blue locks and light blue eyes below his eyes were green lines. The tattoos made the man look purely animalistic and truth be told, Ichigo wasn't sure if he marveled at the man exquisite looks or was slightly terrified. His blue hair was a contrast to the white stubble of his five o'clock shadow, but it left something to wonder about the man. What color was the hair on the rest of his body. But not that Ichigo cared much about finding out the answer to that particular question.

The man standing before him, was wearing a green faded tattered jacket, over a dark grey henley, denim destroyed blue jeans held up by a plain black belt. On his feet were black gently worn steel toe boots. But his most impressive, interesting, and terrifying accessory was the gun strapped to his back.

The man walked back over to Ichigo, placing the lantern on the over-the-bed table that held the other lethal weaponry in the room.

"Ichigo hold on, I'll turn on some more lights." The voice spoke, as he began shuffling around the room frantically.

"Who-who are you and where is everybody?" Ichigo asked the question. His voice starting to sound more normal. The man found another lantern which had been stashed behind the mysterious door. The man popped in and out the room fast, coming out the room lighting the lantern with a black zippo lighter.

"Oh shit my bad Ichigo." The man flashed him a big feral smile. "Sorry, I've been talking to you for months now and I forgot that you-" The man cut short his sentence and then shook his head at his own forgetfulness. He crossed the distance between himself and the man lying in the hospital bed. He picked up Ichigo's I.V plugged arm, and shook his hand. "I'm Grimmjow and everybody else…...is dead."

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><p><strong>Sooo tell me what ya think! Shall I continue...<strong>


	2. The Impossible

_**Chapter 2 The Impossible**_

"Wha-What. That's not possible!" Ichigo choked out, panic and fear returning as quickly as it had faded. "You're Insane!"He snatched his hand away from his caretaker's cold clutches. And although he didn't have nearly enough feeling in his arms and zero energy he still tried to get up. Grimmjow placed the extra lantern down on the floor, and grabbed his shoulders, trying to gently get the young man to lie back down.

"Whoa there tiger! Where ya think yer going?" Grimmjow spoke sarcastically.

"I'm getting outta here!" Ichigo retorted wasn't it obvious.

"Okay I understand. Ya got shit ta do." That comment sounded rather sarcastic in Ichigo's mind. "But uh…. ya just woke up from a coma, that I know for a fact ya been in for the past six months."

"Six months!" Ichigo said in shock, Grimmjow shrugged his shoulders.

"At least." The blue haired man said in return.

"At Least!" Ichigo repeated in astonishment, his eyes the size of saucers. Grimmjow chuckled and began to rub his chin. Ichigo felt his body go metaphorically numb, and he slowly laid back down on his bed, staring up at the ceiling.

_I was in a coma for at least six months, maybe longer._

He thought, his throat tightening up at the thought.

_If he's been taking care of me for six months, then that means for six months no one that knows me has come for me, to save me, how could they just leave me. How could they? Did they even try to save me ? Or are they really all dead?_

He felt anger and sadness for himself at the thought of his own family just abandoning him or dying on him, leaving him alone to waste away in a hospital bed. But then he felt internal gratitude for the man standing over him, that took pity on him and looked after him until he woke up from his coma.

Grimmjow slowly ebbed away from him not really taking his eyes off his newly awakened charge.

"Gotta say Tiger, never thought you would be this uh..….animated." He turned away to grab his chair that he had been sitting in before Ichigo had woken up from his coma. He grabbed it by one of the arms and dragged it across the floor so that he could sit flushed with Ichigo's bed. "Well six months is how long I've been knowing ya-" Grimmjow paused, and then rolled his eyes thinking about what he had just said. "Talking to ya…" He rubbed his chin at the thought "No that's not right either. Looking after ya." He nodded his head. "Yeah that shit sounds right. That's how long I've been looking after ya. But how long you were sleeping before that-" He shrugged his shoulders. "Your guess is as good as mine." Grimmjow took his gun off his back and rested it up against the wall behind Ichigo's head. He sat back in his chair with an exhausted grunt. Both his arms resting on the arm rests of the chair. He looked at Ichigo, and Ichigo looked back at him. Neither males said a word.

Finally after a long period of silence Grimmjow leaned forward and ran his hand gently along the lines of the I.V tubing, his fingers just barely touching Ichigo's awakening arm. The man with the soft blue hair sighed, gingerly. The yellow liquid that was running into Ichigo's arm was almost gone.

"Ahh." Grimmjow sighed again. "I guess I should take this outta ya arm huh." Grimmjow stood up and walked over to a counter under the empty cabinets across the room. He came back with gauze in hand.

"You put this in my arm?" Ichigo asked, his mind trying to imagine this tall muscular man as a nurse or even a doctor. Grimmjow shrugged.

"Iz waz nothing." He said his voice a low rumble. He placed the gauze on Ichigo's thigh, and then went to work with the tape that held the I.V in place.

"Don't be offended but I can't imagine you as a Doctor or a Nurse." Grimmjow eyes shifted upwards for a second and the man snickered.

"I'm nat." He said as he placed a piece of gauze over the catheter in his charge's arm. "But nowadays ya gotta be who ya gotta be. Know what I'm saying?"

"I think so." Ichigo said not exactly sure what he was agreeing to. "Then how did you figure out how to-"

"There are a lot books and shit in dis hospital and I had a lot of time on my hands." Grimmjow had removed the catheter flinging it to the floor, Ichigo's blood fell in small droplets near his feet. After a moment of applying pressure to stop the bleeding, he reused the tape from the I.V to hold the gauze in place.

"Ya hungry there Ichigo?" Grimmjow asked. "Because I can eat." Ichigo thought about the question posed to him, and as if on cue his stomach growled. "Yeah ya can eat." Grimmjow said and he walked back over to the mysterious door. The man vanished from sight but Ichigo could hear him rumbling around inside the room.

"If you stumbled on me how do you know my name?" Ichigo felt like that was a reasonable question.

"You're name was on the door." Grimmjow answered from inside the room. He poked his head out. "You're lucky I came along too." Ichigo's mouth fell open.

_What did he mean by that? Was I in danger? Had I been near death?_

Ichigo asked in his head. He swallowed the rather large lump in his throat, he had another question but he was terrified of the answer. Grimmjow finally came out of the room holding two silver cans, both lids pried open with silver utensils sticking out of them. He stopped just short of Ichigo's bed clicked his tongue and shook his head, an animalistic smile on his face.

"I just can't believe this shit. You're awake!" He shook his head again. "I _really_ hope I haven't gone crazy." Grimmjow took his seat again, placing one of the cans on the floor near his feet. He stirred the other can with the silver utensil. "Alright Ichigo, I hope you like peaches, because that's what I opened today." When he pulled the utensil from the can he could see that it was a fork, and on it's prongs was the bright orange delicious fruit. He hadn't been one for peaches in the past. But at this time in this moment he was hungry and he would eat just about anything short of horse's shit. He nodded and held out his shaking hand. "Really Ichigo!" Grimmjow exclaimed. "You think you can feed yourself with those shaky ass hands." Grimmjow shook his beautiful head and then brought the peach to Ichigo's mouth. The man in the bed groaned in defiance. "Don't make me do the choo choo train." Ichigo scowled at the comment before opening his mouth.

_How degrading._

He thought, but for the sake of his grumbling stomach, he swallowed his pride. As Grimmjow fed him yet another peach, Ichigo scowled at him again without realizing it.

"Dude you were so much nicer to me two hours ago."

"Coma." Ichigo grumbled out while chewing on another peach.

"I know." Grimmjow said with a chuckle. "Where is that guy, he can teach you some manners Tiger."

There was an awkward silence that filled the air as Grimmjow fed, and Ichigo chewed.

"I know something is on your mind." Grimmjow said after five minutes, he fed Ichigo the last peach. He then placed the empty can on the floor and picked up the other. "You want to know how I survived don't you, why you're family abandoned you right along with the rest of the staff." Grimmjow spoke solemn expression on his face as he looked down into his can of peaches. "The truth is luck for the first question and I don't know for the second two." Grimmjow stuck a peach in his mouth some of the juice missed his lips and was starting to drip down his chin, his tongue darted out and swiped at the juice. And what it missed he used the back of his hand, which were covered by gray fingerless gloves to get.

"I don't understand." Ichigo mumbled out. "How can they all be dead-I just don't understand."

"Well they were faster, stronger, smarter, better. What did you expect after the first wave?" Ichigo's brow crinkled together. "Man I know it's scary, and ten months ago, I had hope too but-you know how it was." Grimmjow just shook his head biting into another peach his head lowered again. "Don't hate your family, it'll only cause you unnecessary grief. I mean during those days people did a lot of selfless and selfish things." Ichigo's brain was more than mush, he closed his eyes trying to remember something, anything, Grimmjow was speaking to him like he should have known what he was talking about. He tried really hard to think on in it. But nothing came he was drawing a blank. He heard Grimmjow sigh and he opened his eyes. Turning his head in the direction of his caretaker, as the man placed his empty can of the floor.

Grimmjow leaned forward resting on his knees, he was smiling from ear to ear. The lantern on the floor casting what little light in the room intensifying his features. "This is so fucking nuts, I thought you were never gonna wake up." Grimmjow shook his head at the thought. "But here you are." He scoffed, then leaned in closer, Ichigo blinked several times at the invasion of space but didn't move, he was just as interested in Grimmjow's face as the other was in his. "I imagined your eyes to be so many different colors funny I never thought chocolate brown." Grimmjow tilted his head to the side, and Ichigo tilted his head on the pillow. "Nice contrast to your bright orange hair." Grimmjow chuckled. "What's wrong Ichigo?" Grimmjow noted the uncomfortable expression Ichigo was giving him at the moment.

"Ha-How did everybody die?" Ichigo spoke in an almost inaudible whisper. Thinking that this was all some sort of elaborate joke by Grimmjow. Grimmjow's brow crinkled at the question, and it was his turn to be confused.

"Ya telling me you don't remember the invasion?" Ichigo was taken back by Grimmjow's question. His eyebrows grew dangerously close to each other.

"What invasion?" He asked his voice quivering slightly.

"What's the last thing you remember?" Grimmjow asked.

"Well I-I-I" Ichigo closed his eyes again squeezing them together doing his best to remember something….anything. There was a pat to his shoulder and Ichigo opened his eyes to see his caretaker giving him a knowing look.

"It's okay Ichigo, it'll come back to ya."

"So wha-" Ichigo began.

"Hey you cold?" Grimmjow asked, standing up, he began straightening Ichigo's bed covers. "I've put like five of these things on ya." Grimmjow said referring to the blankets. "But the temperature drops so damn much at night. I would hate if my only friend in the world catches pneumonia and die."

"Why do you keep changing the subject?" Ichigo asked.

"I think I can find you another blanket here somewhere." Grimmjow looked back at Ichigo's hospital room door. Contemplating searching the other rooms nearby for another blanket for his charge.

"Are you lying to me?" Ichigo asked, Grimmjow's head snapped back to him.

"Why would I lie about a blanket Ichigo?"

"Not about the blanket about everybody being dead!"

Grimmjow sighed and sat down in the chair with a thump. He ran a hand through his messy blue locks. Leaning an arm on one of the armrest to his chair. He looked deep in thought and Ichigo could see the sadness that lingered behind those blue eyes.

"No, I just rather not relive those days, It just be better if you got your memory back and remembered that shit storm yourself."

"What if I never do?" Ichigo asked.

"I just can't go there Ichigo!" Grimmjow shook his head doing his best to knock the memories from the forefront of his brain. "Don't ask me to." He said with finality.

Ichigo felt sorry for his caretaker, the man obviously was being tormented by something going on in his head.

"Can't you understand how I feel?" Ichigo asked and Grimmjow's head popped up, His blue eyes filled with a noticeable sadness for Ichigo or maybe even himself. Grimmjow folded his hands in his lap, and began shifting around in the chair uncomfortably. He froze all of sudden in his chair, and Ichigo's brow shot skywards. Then Grimmjow's eyes glazed over for a moment before he closed his eyes. His eyes slowly opened and the light and fire was gone nothing left in those aqua blues but pure sadness and Ichigo could have sworn he saw a single tear stray loose.

"They came outta of nowhere. In the middle of the night." Grimmjow looked like he was speaking on auto pilot like someone else had control of his body and was speaking for him.

"Who? Who came out of nowhere?" Ichigo asked.

"The aliens." Grimmjow breathed out in a whisper, he didn't blink when he said it and he even waited to allow the information to sink in for Ichigo. "The aliens killed everybody." He reiterated.

_Oh my god he's fucking crazy. I am being looked after by a crazy person. Great. Just great!_

Grimmjow sighed and sat straight up in his seat. " I can still hear the screams of my sisters and mother." He closed his eyes and steadied his breathing. "They were out in the barn, with the horses. They never stood a fucking chance." Grimmjow began to tremble in his chair but it was only slightly noticeable to Ichigo. The blue haired man covered his face with his hands and slouched back down in his hard back chair, as his memories of that day played on in his mind. "It's a rarity for me to be exhausted. I am the hardest working person you'll ever meet. But that day was exceptionally hard. I mean I woulda been out there wit em but my father had to lay off half the workers the previous week, so that left him and me and three others to tend to the farm. After a week of hard labor from sun up to sun down, with little reprieve it took a toll on my body. So that night I went straight to bed I didn't even have dinner. My mom had cooked my favorite meal too. Pot roast, potatoes and carrots her honey glazed cornbread on the side."

Grimmjow shook his head slowly and licked his lips at the thought. "I was so fucking tired." He bit down on his bottom lip and one of his fist balled up, on the armrest. "I heard the screams of my family before I heard the blast. And then that screeching-" Grimmjow leaned forward and Ichigo heard a choke sob. "The light was blinding, and that high pitch sound was deafening." He brought his hands up hovering over his ears as he tried to recreate a visual of the night his entire existence changed for Ichigo "I thought I was dreaming at first. I fell outta my fucking twin sized bed. I balled up like a child on the floor holding my hands over my ears. My entire body shook, and my ears began to bleed, and shortly after blood began to stream from the corner of my eyes. I remember lying there writhing in pain wishing to just die. I couldn't hear anything and when I opened my eyes all I could see was that blinding white light. And then outta nowhere my dad came into my room. The sounds didn't affect him like it did me because he was deaf in one ear and his ear drum blown in the other."

"He tried to help me up, but I was twice his size and completely useless. We manage to scramble to my closet. And as I cowered in the corner, like a fucking pussy groaning out for my father to just end it. He placed his hands over my ears, trying to block out as much of that annoying screeching as he could. And then as quickly as it started it was over. My father used one of my flannels hanging in my closet to clean up my eyes and ears. I'm not sure how long we stayed in that closet. Just staring at each other in the dark. Then outta no where my pops just started all out balling for my sisters and mom."

"Your mother and sisters." Ichigo asked, Grimmjow had just stop talking and his eyes glazed over, and for a moment Ichigo was afraid of him. This man, this tall brute of a man looked like he was about to murder someone his face immediately went from sadness to pure anger. His jaw clenching together.

"Dead." Flat reply from Grimmjow.

"How do you-"

"My dad saw it happen, but I didn't need him to tell me. Their screams were so loud, and strained they were calling out for me and my father and then they just stopped. One by one, they just stop screaming for me." Grimmjow's eyes fell on Ichigo's chocolate browns and the male in the bed felt his heart drop at the look in his caretaker eyes. "That's how I knew."

"But the rest of the world, I don't understand….I mean I get it, I just-" Ichigo stopped speaking when Grimmjow jumped to his feet. The man walked over to that lone rectangular window, he put his ear next to the window and closed his eyes and after a moment. He peered through two of the blinds, moving them aside with his index and middle finger. It was a full moon that night, it was big a bright and shaded behind a cloud but still visible nonetheless. "Grimmjow none of this makes any sense. Aliens?" Ichigo chuckled from the bed at the pure lunacy of it all. But he nearly choked on his own breath, when Grimmjow's head snap back towards him, that glare, that cold hard glare, he could hear the man grinding his teeth together and the concentrated rise and fall of his chest as the man attempted to control his anger it was so apparent to Ichigo. The young man in the bed snapped his mouth closed immediately.

"My entire town was wiped out in a matter of minutes! The country by morning!" He dropped his hand from the blinds. "And the rest of this planet in less than two months!" He shook his head at the thought, and he covered his mouth with his hand. "You think I would make this shit up, look around Ichigo!" Grimmjow held out his arms and looked around the room dramatically. "You see anyone! They run this planet, Ichigo and there ain't a damn thing you or I can do about it. So the sooner you make peace with that the better off you'll be." Grimmjow walked over to the over-the-bed table and picked up one of the black hand guns. He released the clip, check the rounds, and shoved the clip back into the weapon. He looked over at Ichigo as he tucked the weapon in the small of his back, the waist band of his jeans. "All I have is you and all you have is me." He paused a moment to let his words sink in. "I'm going to patrol, make sure nothing is near us, those things love the night." Grimmjow picked up the lantern that had been resting on the table. When he reached the threshold to Ichigo's room he stopped and turned his head to look at Ichigo out the corner of his eye. "Get some rest, because tomorrow you're gonna learn how ta fight those fuckers!" Grimmjow gave a half smile and Ichigo could see a sharp pearly white canine, he was scared of Grimmjow in that moment and he didn't want to be on the man's bad side, so he choked out his words.

"Yeah oh-okay." His voice quivered. And then Grimmjow was gone, Ichigo could hear the clonking of his boots against the floor as he retreated. Ichigo was lying on his back now staring up at the ceiling processing everything. Thinking of the facts he knew to be true. Yes, he obviously just woken up from a deep sleep and now he couldn't remember shit. Yes, this place seemed like it had been abandoned. But for all he knew Grimmjow could have kidnapped him, gave him some sort of drug to make him forget and all of this could be some sort of elaborate ruse. Yeah, that's right all of this is a ruse. But then again Grimmjow seemed to really believe Aliens had take over. But that's not uncommon for psychos to believe in their own delusions. Ichigo closed his eyes, a cynical smile gracing his lips.

_Yup that mother fucker is crazy and once I get on my feet I'm outta here_.

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><p>AN: Yeah yeah I'm aware I haven't talked about what happened to Grimm's father or who he is looking for. Sooo tell me what ya think?


	3. Rehabilitation

It was like looking at a total stranger. Of course he knew he was looking at his own reflection but his heart and head were telling him not to trust his eyes. The man that was looking at him was tall and extremely pale. He had deep dark marks underneath his chocolate brown eyes and his lips were chapped and cracked. His cheeks were slightly sunken in and his orange hair lacked luster as it fell about his shoulders. He was wearing a light green hospital gown and gray sweat pants that Grimmjow had given him that morning. The pants had to be rolled up several times to keep them on his small frame. He had thought at the time that Grimmjow had handed him some extra large sweats, but upon inspection of the tag, he found that not to be true, in fact he was wearing mediums. Ichigo placed a slender hand on his cheek and he gasped in shock when the reflection did the same. He swayed slightly on his feet, and Grimmjow caught him wrapping a strong arm around his waist from behind.

"Ya okay there Tiger?" Grimmjow asked with a grunt. Ichigo shook his head, tears welling up in his eyes.

"Look at me." Ichigo said averting his eyes to the water basin. Closing his eyes trying to shake away the tears. Grimmjow shrugged his shoulders and nonchalantly said.

"I think ya look fine. All things considered." Ichigo's head snapped up looking at Grimmjow through the mirror, he narrowed his eyes at the man standing behind him.

"That's easy for you to say." He whipped around quickly. "You don't look like a walking corpse!" Ichigo tried to push away from Grimmjow and his caretaker held him steadfast by his arms.

"Listen to me." Grimmjow began, "All things considered, you look pretty damn good to me." Ichigo bit back a snide remark. "Take it easy on yourself, you are not as skinny as you think you are and as for this." Grimmjow waved a hand over Ichigo's face. "You're just tired." Ichigo snickered

"I was in a coma." He retorted.

"Yeah man. A coma you had to fight your way out of. You knew I needed a friend and you fought your way through, and now because of it you're tired ass hell." Ichigo narrowed his eyes a scowl creeping over his features. "Look all of this." Grimmjow waved a hand over Ichigo's small frame for dramatic effect. "Nothing a good pair of scissors and a couple more cans of peaches can't fix."

Ichigo thought about what his caretaker had said. The man was right, Ichigo was being unreasonable so he lowered his head and gave a solemn nod. For now he was thankful to his friend. The fact that he was alive and breathing he had to learn to take solace in that and be thankful.

Although Grimmjow did the best he could to take care of him while in the coma he was still only one person who used to be a farmer not a doctor. The fact that he was able to keep Ichigo alive for six months was amazing in and of itself.

"Come on Ichigo you've had enough excitement today." The man in question raised his head looking at his only friend in the world. He didn't speak, he just locked eyes with Grimmjow. The blue haired man gestured with his head towards the door. "Let's get ya back in bed Tiger." Ichigo thought about that request for a moment before nodding.

Grimmjow wrapped his arm around Ichigo's waist while the smaller male threw an arm around his caretaker's broad shoulders. "Thanks." Ichigo mumbled. He was truly pathetic without Grimmjow.

"No prob." Grimmjow responded. "We gotta look after each other right?' Ichigo knew what Grimmjow was referring to, and although he didn't believe what he was told he knew better than to argue with his only lifeline so instead he just nodded his head to the question posed to him.

They had been in that mysterious room behind that mysterious door Ichigo had been wondering about since he woke up from his coma. Turns out it was a bathroom, which Grimmjow had turned into a mini storage room. It wasn't big. But it had a shower, a toilet and a small sink with a nice size mirror over it. The sink itself had a cabinet underneath it. Inside the shower was where Grimmjow kept all the can and dry food he had scavenged for. On the floor flushed against the walls were boxes of ammunition, a gas can, flashlights, climbing ropes, more weapons and a bomb. This last item slightly scared Ichigo. No more like it terrified him. At first he thought he had imagined seeing the item. But Grimmjow grunted when he realized what it was Ichigo was looking at.

"For emergencies only." The blue haired caretaker exclaimed. "I found it one day when I was out looking for kerosene." That little plastic explosive, red, blue and green wires attached to a little black cellphone and then extended out to connect with two bars of C4 sent a noticeable chill down Ichigo's spine. "Don't worry, I know I'm just a farmer, but it's like I said you do what ya gotta do. Ya learn what ya gotta learn, to survive out there."

Ichigo was walking very slowly, dragging his feet as Grimmjow all but carried him back to his hospital bed. He was near his bed when his legs just gave out, no warning just like that his legs felt like noodles attached to his body. Grimmjow had great reflexes swooping Ichigo up into his arms before the orange haired male could fall to his knees.

"Hold on." The caretaker grunted out, Ichigo's face flamed a bright beet red, and he groaned in protest and embarrassment. They reached Ichigo's bed and Grimmjow laid him down gently. The man reached for the blankets and Ichigo swatted his hands away.

"I got it." He said grumpily with a noticeable scowl on his face.

"Okay, Okay." Grimmjow said raising his hands up in mock surrender. "Look I'm going to go scavenge for a couple of hours. I missed going the past two days. Do you want something to eat before I leave?" Grimmjow asked and Ichigo looked up, his face softening.

"Can I feed myself?" Ichigo asked.

"Yeah so long as you don't drop shit. Ain't nobody got food for you to waste." Ichigo rolled his eyes at his caretaker.

"Whatever." He said as Grimmjow turned on his heels and headed back towards the bathroom. He returned a few minutes later balancing three open cans in his hands and Ichigo quirked an eyebrow. "I don't know when I'll be back so, I opened all of these for you." Grimmjow placed the three cans down on the over-the-bed table, which he had cleared of lethal weaponry. He pushed the table over to Ichigo's bed. "Okay" He said looking down into the cans. "Ya got green beans, more peaches and...more peaches." He looked at Ichigo for a response.

"Peaches." Ichigo groaned out, Grimmjow handed him the can of peaches and then pulled a fork from his pocket and handed it to his charge.

"Okay I'll be back before the sun goes down. You should be fine just don't make any loud noises." Ichigo nodded his head, again not wanting to agree to anything out loud. Grimmjow gave him a solemn look and then bit down on his lip, he didn't want to leave Ichigo alone. Of course he had in the past but that was different because back then Ichigo had been in a coma. And now with those brown eyes staring back up at him, holding his can of peaches in his frail looking hands, Grimmjow just couldn't walk away. But he had to, one more day without foraging was one more day they would have to go without something they needed. Besides Ichigo needed clothes that fit him better and kept him warm.

So the tall blue haired man stuck his hands in the pockets of his jeans and pulled out his little black earplugs, he put them in his ears. He then bent down and picked up his rifle slinging it to his back. He turned away from his charge, and as he left he closed the door behind him praying that Ichigo would be okay without him for a couple of hours.

Ichigo sat there in that bed for what seemed like forever with peaches in hand, just staring at the closed hospital door. Grimmjow had done it, he left Ichigo alone in that hospital bed. Did he honestly believe that Ichigo wouldn't run away. Okay so maybe he was unable to do that in his current physical state. But still, he just left him _alone_.

After a few more minutes of waiting for Grimmjow. Ichigo began to slowly feed himself the can of peaches. The previous night had passed by uneventfully, he woke up a couple of times to find Grimmjow sleeping in a sleeping bag on the floor next to his bed snoring. Rather loudly too, which made Ichigo laugh slightly as to why that hadn't pulled him out of his coma months ago.

Then morning had come, his breakfast, a can of pears. Ichigo didn't mind that too much he liked that fruit. After an hour of the two just sitting without talking to one another. Grimmjow had finally said it was time Ichigo learned how to kill the 'supposed' Aliens. To this Ichigo quirked a skinny orange eyebrow. Grimmjow assumed that Ichigo had complete use of his limbs again as he had already successfully fed himself breakfast without spilling anything. But when he got out of the bed his knees was more than wobbly and he had trouble putting his best foot forward so to speak.

Grimmjow had then scratched the idea of teaching Ichigo to fight the 'supposed' Aliens to helping Ichigo gain back complete use of his limbs. They walked around his room a couple times in circles until Ichigo had asked Grimmjow what was behind the mysterious door.

"Bathroom" Grimmjow had grunted out. He was holding Ichigo around the waist, while Ichigo had an arm draped lazily around the man's shoulder.

"Does this bathroom have a mirror?" Ichigo asked. And Grimmjow looked at him sideways.

"Why going somewhere later." Grimmjow asked ruffling Ichigo's long hair, and then he chuckled at his own joke.

"No. I can't...can't-" Ichigo began looking down at his hospital blue footy feet, a blush creeping over his pale cheeks so noticeable to his caretaker. But the farmer only pretended to not notice. "I can't remember what I look like."

"Alright then Tiger." Grimmjow said grabbing the hand to the arm that was draped around his neck. "Well it's high time for ya ta see yaself." The man said. The rest, well you know how that went.

Ichigo finished his can of peaches and placed the empty can on the table with a clank. He sat back in the bed and sighed. And looked around the room that was still in disarray. And then back to that rectangular window with the closed blinds. Seriously did Grimmjow have something against the sun. He really wished in that moment he had a book or something to read, and then he felt it in his heart, that aching longing feeling he was missing Grimmjow.

_Oh great now I'm missing that crazy bastard. I'm just lonely..yeah that's it I'm just lonely._

Ichigo sat there running through his mind, trying to remember his life, or at least the part that lead to the coma. He racked his mind for hours it seemed and until he just drifted off to sleep.

When he woke up Grimmjow was there, sitting in his seat next to Ichigo's bed knitting. The orange haired male rubbed his eyes and shook his head in disbelief. Grimmjow looked up just in time to see the confused look on Ichigo's face.

"It's ugly ain't it?" Grimmjow asked, and Ichigo's mouth fell open, as his blue haired friend tossed the blue and green crotchet item over his shoulder. "I didn't feel like reading, so I thought that would be fun."

"Knitting?" Ichigo asked astounded. Grimmjow shrugged his shoulders.

"Yeah you know idle hands and shit." Grimmjow raised his hands and began grasping at the air. He lowered his hands slapping the top of his thighs letting a tired sigh.

"Yeah but knitting?" Ichigo's voice went up an octave as his head tilted to the side on his pillow and his faced turned up even further.

"Hey don't judge, shit get's lonely just waiting for you to wake up." Ichigo couldn't help the smile that crept to his lips. And then Grimmjow smiled back. "Hey you tell anybody you saw me knitting I'll kill you."

"Like who?" Ichigo snapped back.

"Touche my friend touche." And then they both started laughing, Grimmjow grabbed his stomach and Ichigo turned over on his side burrowing his face in his pillow as he let out a good long laugh.

The next day Ichigo talked Grimmjow into allowing him to walk around the hospital.

"There's not much to see Tiger." Grimmjow said as he held onto his charge, and his charge held onto him. "All the rooms are empty, and they look just like yours like a tornado hit it." Ichigo just shrugged his shoulders. He was still wearing those gray pants, but now he was wearing a black hoody from a University. He could tell as much because the school's name was written on it as well as a picture of their mascot. A knight with a sword in his right hand. The shoes that he had found Ichigo were too small, so the man was forced to go another day without shoes on his feet. Not that he mind too much his blue footy's with the rubber tracks on the bottom were very comfortable.

Grimmjow had changed his clothes. He was now wearing black jeans, and red thermal, and his black steel toe boots. He wasn't carrying his sling back weapon but he had a rather large knife holstered to his left hip and a hand gun in the small of his back tucked in his waist band. As they walked down the hall Ichigo noticed that all the doors were closed.

"I did that in the beginning." Grimmjow said almost like he was reading Ichigo's mind. "I don't like open doors. It makes me nervous like anybody could just jump out and fucking kill me."

"But they still can." Ichigo said.

"Yeah but only after they open the damn door first, and by that time you and me, will be clear down the hall." Grimmjow said.

"Well you, I can't really run." Ichigo grumbled out.

"Yeah but you know how to hang on for dear life right?" Ichigo looked up at Grimmjow and the man cut his blue eyes at him.

"You jump on my back, and we go." Grimmjow raised a hand and pointed in the direction ahead. "You're still light enough for me to carry." He finished, and Ichigo groaned.

"How degrading." He said under his breath but Grimmjow heard him regardless.

"Imma need ya ta get over yaself Tiger."

"How bout you stop calling me Tiger." Grimmjow stop walking and as he was Ichigo's human crutch, the orange head male had to stop walking too.

"You know you didn't complain about your nickname two days ago." Grimmjow spoke and he looked slightly hurt.

"Look for the last time you can't hold me to stuff from when I was in a coma." Grimmjow grumbled and continued to pull Ichigo along.

"Well I like it, and since I'm your only friend. You're stuck with it."

They reached the end of the hall and was standing right outside a door that was labeled stairs.

"You think you can climb these Tiger?" Grimmjow asked.

"Ugh that name." Ichigo said annoyingly.

"Just answer the question." Grimmjow responded just as annoyed as Ichigo.

"Yeah yeah." The orange haired male responded.

Ichigo tried to climb the stairs and he made it up all of one step before his knees gave out. So, just like the day before, Grimmjow swooped him up in his arms. And of course Ichigo complained about it all the way up the two flights of stairs to the next level in the hospital. Once they reached the floor Grimmjow let Ichigo walk the rest of the way to their destination.

It wasn't until they reached their destination that Ichigo had even considered asking Grimmjow where they were headed. Grimmjow pushed open the door and Ichigo knew immediately where they were.

"You need to get your strength up. Mainly because I'm tired of you swearing and complaining every time I help you. And number two you are helpless without your strength and I can't be with you all the time." Ichigo looked at Grimmjow. "When you were in a coma you looked nearly dead so you were safe, but now that you are awake and scowling all the time even in your damn sleep you're no longer safe." And to that Ichigo scowled at Grimmjow. "Yeah like that Tiger."

_Smug son of a bitch!_

Ichigo thought to himself. He then returned his attention to the physical rehab center. There were wall length mirrors on an entire wall off to the left, with a bar extended from it and blue mats flushed against it. There were yoga balls, exercise machines(treadmills and bicycles) and weights (dumbbells and machines).

"We can't use any of the electric shit, but I think we can manage without it." Grimmjow looked down at Ichigo as the orange haired male looked back up at him and nodded. "Let's start with your legs, we can work on your upper body strength later okay." Ichigo nodded again.

The rest of the day, they did many leg lift exercise. In between eating more can foods. And although Ichigo could appreciate the fact that they needed every bit of food they ate. Can squash, he preferred to go hungry, but Grimmjow was nice enough to pass off his vienna sausage to Ichigo while he finished off the squash without a care in the world. They talked about pure nonsense to pass the time in between, Ichigo's work out. And although Grimmjow complained to Ichigo that the young man may have been pushing it after three hours in the weight room. The orange haired man refused to leave. He just didn't want to go back to that hospital room. So that night they stayed in the rehab center. Bullshitting.

And it was this way for over a course of one month. Some days Grimmjow would leave Ichigo alone in the hospital and other days he would spend helping the young man regain the strength in his legs and arms.

Then one late afternoon after being left alone in the hospital, Ichigo was lying in his hospital bed with arms folded behind his head staring up at that styrofoam ceiling. He had gained a considerable amount weight and his color had returned although without direct access to son he was a bit paler than he would have liked. Grimmjow had finally given him a haircut after a week of Ichigo complaining of his long hair. It was still rather long but it stopped just at the junction of his neck and back, his hair fell over his face stopping just above the tip of his nose, the orange strands splayed over his face revealing his chocolate brown eyes. And as he laid there he got a dumb idea.

_Well Ichigo._

The orange haired man spoke to himself in his head.

_It's been one month. Your legs are hella stronger and although you still stumble upstairs. I say you're pretty damn good going down them._

Ichigo nodded to himself at that thought. And before he knew it he had sat up on his bed and swung his legs around, planting them firmly on the floor. He looked at that door, that Grimmjow had closed like he always did when he left Ichigo alone. He then looked at his table at the customary three cans of food left for him. He had already finished off two. He grabbed the last can with pears in it and his fork and made his way to the door.

He walked down that dark lonely hall and as he got further and further away from his hospital bed. His heart began to break. He was leaving Grimmjow behind. Over the course of that last month the two had indeed grown closer and Ichigo felt guilty because that mentally ill man really believed Ichigo was the only person he had in the world.

_Once I find help. I'll come back for him then I'll get him the help that he deserves._

Ichigo nodded to himself he felt good about that plan. And as if it was a block of ice the guilt he felt about abandoning Grimmjow began to melt away. He reached the stairs. And hesitated momentarily before walking through them. He slowly walked down the three flights of stairs. Until he reached the ground floor. Now he had never been on this floor, he'd been on every floor of the hospital except this one.

He inhaled and exhaled and then he just burst through those damn hospital doors with a raging determination to be free, his heart was beating a million miles an hour. The bright sunlight nearly blinded him, and he squinted his eyes and held a hand over his eyes to shade them. He wasnt expecting that. Thankfully his vision took no time to clear up. He looked left he looked right and then his eyes stopped dead ahead and the can of food he had been holding in his hand dropped to the ground. It all looked the same. The view that met young Ichigo's eyes was devastating and heartbreaking. The earth, the buildings, the cars, the…..the….the…..everything, it was all scorched. He caught his breath and fell to his knees from the shock of it all. Not once in the past month had he thought about looking out the window to his hospital room. Had he, he would have saw, this...this absolute travesty. And then he heard a mechanical sound and a whirring sound almost as if a machine was powering up. Metal clanking against the asphalt.

"What the fuck?" Ichigo said rather loudly turning his head back in the direction of the sound. But before he could look to see what was behind him, there was a blast that flashed over the top of his head. He felt the heat of the blast, but there was no fire attached to it. He would have tried to look around to see what just shot at him. But he had a better idea at that moment.

_Run Dammit!_

His instincts kicked in and he took off running. In what direction, who cared. He just ran giving it all he had.

He could here the metal clanking foot steps behind him as he ran, the steps had picked up but not by much. Whatever that was chasing him, sounded fucking huge and as it chased after Ichigo with each footstep the ground shook, burned cars shook on the earth bouncing up and down with each metal footstep. Ichigo ran and ran. He only assumed that he left the front entrance of a rather small hospital because there wasn't a parking lot. He was running down a business street now. And the stores were nothing special. A ransacked pharmacy, a half burned bookstore. He passed by a general store, the front window broken and the display nothing but a pile of ash, the sign hanging off the wall of the building the only words visible. Gen t re.

This town was empty not even a body in sight, everything had been burned to the ground. Ichigo didn't hear those metal footsteps trailing behind him anymore. He looked back, slowing down to check to see if he had been correct and then he tripped over his own two feet.

He fell to his knees catching himself with his hands before he could fully face plant. He let out a grunt on impact. Shaking off his disorient from the fall, Ichigo's first thought was to look back for Grimmjow but that was dumb, why would Grimmjow be anywhere near him, he had been a dumb ass and ranaway from his caretaker. His head fell and his shoulders slumped. What had he gotten himself into. He closed his eyes and slowly turned his head back forward. Letting out a frustrated sigh. Whether Aliens had destroyed this town or not something did, and for now he was safer with Grimmjow. Ichigo made the final decision in his mind to head back in the direction of the hospital, when he opened eyes.

He felt the hot fiery breath on the back of his neck before he saw the three clawed grayish green scaly feet. His breath caught in his throat when those razor sharp nails popped out and then he felt something wet and slimy hit the back of his neck in one big blob drenching half of his back, and he couldn't help the whimper that escaped his lips.

Ichigo began to raise his head ever so slowly. The things scaly body looked rock solid hard a grayish green color. It had two legs that were bent back like they could have been the things hind legs. And as Ichigo's eyes slowly worked it's way up the thing's body, he had to duck his body nearly plastering himself against the ground to escape the spiked tail that just tried to take his head clear off.

He turned his head on the ground and he looked up into it's face. It stood at least ten feet tall. That thing's eyes were mere slits with dark yellow irises and red cornea's. It's nostrils were elongated and when it breathed Ichigo could have sworn he saw the thing exhaling smoke.

"Ho...lee-" Ichigo began as the thing opened his mouth and the white saliva dripped out exposing it's two rows of razor sharp red and white teeth. "Shit!" Ichigo said. "Oh my god is that blood!"

There was a loud screeching sound as the thing made a swipe for Ichigo with it's three clawed hands and the young man rolled away just in time. Then out of nowhere he heard that same mechanic whirring sound from behind him. He turned his head in that direction to see the same kind of monster in front of him in full metal body armor holding a large weapon. The gun in the creatures hand was creating the whirring sound and Ichigo could feel the heat radiating from it. The other creature opened it's mouth and the same screeching sound erupted from it. Causing Ichigo to writhe in pain, holding his hands over his ears, there was a blinding white light and Ichigo squeezed his eyes closed, he knew he was going to die right there. Why hadn't he listened to Grimmjow.

It was all real every word, of it was real. His eyes were locked to the empty darkness of the back of his own eyelids. There was that screeching sound just as Grimmjow had described it and that bright light. And so Ichigo did the only thing he could do, the only thing he felt he could do. He fought the gnawing pain of his ears and the overwhelming desire to just die and he screamed for the only thing that could save him.

"GRIMMJOW!"

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><p>AN: So tell me readers what are you thinking?


	4. All we have in the world

_One of my babies has been nominated for ESPN national running back of the week so I dedicate this chapter to you #28 Latavius Murray_

**A/N: If you would like to join my mindset here is a song for you 'Mr. Know it all' by Kelly Clarkson**

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><p>Grimmjow stuffed his hands in the pockets of his green tattered jacket, and shifted the tan pack on his shoulder. It was full of more can goods, and a new pair or rather a better pair of shoes for his charge. Ichigo wasn't complaining about the brown penny loafers Grimmjow had found for him however the blue haired man felt that boots, especially a nice sturdy pair would be better for the type of life they were living. The surviving kind.<p>

The twenty nine year old former farmer turned survival specialist picked up his pace wanting to get back to the hospital before the sun went down. The Aliens or The Screechers as Grimmjow liked to call them tend to come out in swarms at night, mainly because the earth's sun nearly blinded their eyes and burned their leathery reptilian-like skin during the day. An advantage that really didn't help the human race in the long run.

Grimmjow shook his head at the thought as he walked in the middle of the street, making sure to keep a vigilant eye out at all times. He had traveled these streets many times, over the past seven months and knew them like the back of his own hand. He also knew the Screechers movements, their patrols and had memorize each building in the small town they occupied during the day, Lucky for him those creatures were habitual by nature and everyday they walked the same paths at the same time, marching to the same beat. Most of the time there was only one or two out in a particular area. And usually it was the idiot lower beings. Grimmjow deduced this fact because the Screechers with the power usually walked the streets in full body armor and the ones without power did not. Well at least that's what Grimmjow came to believe about them. Rather or not they had a chain of command was entirely a mystery. It wasn't like he sat down across a table with the damn things and asked "Hey how does this shit work between you guys?"

He heard that familiar metal clanking sound and the soft rumble of the ground which meant there was one nearby, but not close enough for him to bother caring about it. So, he continued in the direction he was going heading back towards his and Ichigo's safe haven, the Hospital. He picked up his pace, as the sun was beginning to set; he had stayed out longer than he'd originally planned. Then he heard that oh so familiar screeching sound somewhere in the distance, and the young farmer with the blue hair quirked an eyebrow while stopping to look back. It wasn't unusual to hear the creatures screeching in the distance, because he had learned a long time ago that there were in fact two types of screeches one for communicating and one for attacking. And right now at that moment the Screecher sounded more like it was attacking than communicating with one of it's kind.

_Has it found a human?_

Grimmjow thought to himself.

_No._

He shook the thought off almost as instantly as it popped into his beautiful blue head.

_I would have found that human before it did. I'm sure of it._

So, he turned back around continuing on his trek, walking even faster in those black steeled toe boots of his, because whatever was going on he didn't want any part of it.

_Maybe they're fighting each other_

He thought to himself a animalistic smirk spreading across his face.

_Good maybe the fuckers'll kill each other off_

It was a hopeless baseless wish he knew as much but he just couldn't help himself. Besides Ichigo what else did he have to hang onto in this world.

He grabbed the strap to his weapon that was slung over his shoulder with his right hand, ducking his head deeper in that green tattered jacket while he stuck his left hand in the pocket of his dark destroyed jeans. He was nearing the hospital now, with daylight still to spare, he had timed his arrival back just right. Grimmjow sighed in his head to that thought.

He had just jumped a curb looking down at the pavement, his hand falling from the strap of his weapon to catch, the tan backpack as it slid slightly from his shoulder. And then he nearly walked into a corner of a brick wall when he stumbled in his footsteps, his blue eyes growing wide. His body stiffened and his head snapped up. Body erect like a statue. All because he heard his name it was faint far off in the distance. And although he was wearing ear plugs he knew what he heard. At first he thought he had been hearing things that there was no way that he could have heard Ichigo's voice calling his name. Grimmjow's body felt, oh so foreign to him and although his brain was telling him to move his heart was in pure denial.

_No...no don't be ridiculous Grimmjow Ichigo is safe he's at the hospital waiting….._

"GRIMMJOOOOW!" He heard that cry again, it was shrill and panicked nearly drowned out by the sounds of Screechers.

"Oh God no!" Grimmjow said in a whisper as the pack he had been carrying hit the ground and he took off running in the direction of Ichigo's screaming voice.

The farmer with the blue hair ran as fast as his legs would carry him and as he took off running in the direction of god knows what, he pulled the gun from his back. He felt like he wasn't running fast enough. Ichigo's cries were far off, and although the screeching got louder as he drew closer, his hope diminished when he heard an explosion. The screeching stopped and so did Ichigo's cries for him. It was like his sisters and mother all over again and tears began to fill his eyes.

"No….no….no…" Grimmjow began chanting as he began darting between cars and jumping over debris in his way. "Please...please! Oh god...oh god please No!" The tears in his eyes began to fall, he had one friend in all the world and he was about to lose that friend. If he hadn't already.

Then he heard the screeching sound all over again. He rounded the final corner his heart beating a trillion miles an hour as he slid to a stop, pumping his gun, chambering a round. There were two of them one in sun armor, the other was not. Which meant the other was considered a lower being not worth protecting. He scanned the street looking for any signs of Ichigo in hopes that his charge might have gotten away, but his heart fell when he didn't see any sign of friend. Instead what he did see was various scorch marks on the ground as if the alien with the weapon had been shooting at something.

They were on a main street and empty cars lined the streets, some of the cars were intact while others were burned beyond recognition. Small brick buildings where businesses were once in were on the small strip as well as a diner connected to a bowling alley, which was off in the distance. The diner was still intact lime green and white, but no such luck for the bowling alley.

Grimmjow's eyes finally fell on the two Screechers. They were both standing over a burned blacked shell of a car which roof was in flames. Ichigo had to be near that car at some point, Grimmjow knew as much. Why else would they have the damn thing surrounded like that. The one in the metal armor lowered its weapon indeed that was the cause of the explosion. And as the two Screechers turned away from the charred remains of the vehicle. He had only been a few seconds to late.

Grimmjow hiccuped a sob and fell to his knees. The gun he was holding in his hands clanked to the cracked and worn asphalt catching the two aliens attention immediately, as the man brought his dirty fingerless gloved hands to his face and began to sob.

"Ich-Ichi...why?" He choked in between his sobs. The aliens began screeching at the realization that he was there. Although they couldn't see that well during the day their hearing was impeccable. The screeching sounds of the aliens long ago lost their effect on Grimmjow since his first encounter with them and their sound was further dulled by the ear plugs he was wearing. And as they approached him he didn't move, he was unable to move, he was frozen by the realization that he was now alone in this world. His hands dropped palms up on his thighs as he looked down in disbelief at his worn, cracked and dirty hands.

His heart was utterly broken and he would swear that he could see the shard remains in his open hands, he had lost the only thing that meant anything to him. What was he supposed to do now? Continue living. No, he couldn't do that. It had been hard enough before he found Ichigo and he wasn't sure if he go back to that existence, he wasn't sure if he even had the will or fight in him to do that. The man who perfected the art of survival in the course of a few months, learned how to take care of a comatose patient, and had practically trained himself on how to fight and out think the enemy looked up at the two approaching aliens with a look of pure defeat in his blue eyes.

The ground shook and the sun was setting in the distance. He had imagined his death in many ways since the second wave and funny thing was this particular scenario wasn't one of them. The one without the weapon snarled at Grimmjow saliva falling to the ground in globs. Obviously it was hungry. Ichigo must have given them trouble, there was no eating him then.

"Fuck you!" Grimmjow spat out as the tears fell from his eyes, he had truly lost everything to these things. And then somewhere inside he went from being incredibly sad to incredibly pissed the hell off. He reached for his gun on the ground in front of him. If he was going to die now no way was he going to make it easy for those fuckers. "FUCK YOUUUUU!" He yelled as the shots rang out, he aimed first at the one that looked like it was going to eat him. The Screecher was smart and swatted at the flying bullets. And when the one with the gun and armor pointed it's weapon at Grimmjow. The man on the ground did a barrel roll forward. Narrowly missing the obliterating heat that scorched the ground where he had been kneeling.

Grimmjow jumped to his feet, and began running in the direction of the setting sun knowing that the remaining light would definitely blind the two. He could hide in the diner, he knew they never occupied the diner. As he was running past the car, he nearly tripped over his own feet from the shock, and his eyes nearly bugged out of his head, his voice and breath catching somewhere behind his adam's apple.

_Did I just hear someone whimper_

He thought.

_No I'm imagining things I just want Ichigo to be alive, don't stop running Grimmjow._

And as he made to take off in the direction of the diner, he found himself falling to his knees by the driver's door at the words he distinctly heard.

"I don't wanna die...I don't wanna die."

Grimmjow slung his gun to his back, as he bent on all fours to look underneath the car. And there he was with his hands covering his head trembling from head to foot, was the only thing he had left in the world, Ichigo.

"I don't wanna die. I don't wanna die." The young man continued to chant, he was completely out of it and Grimmjow figured Ichigo's ears must have still been ringing from being attacked by the Screechers which is why he didn't hear Grimmjow when the man had first appeared.

_Dear god thank you_

Grimmjow thought and his eyes darted back towards the two aliens, that had just honed in on the whimpering man beneath the car. And it was in that moment Grimmjow had a renewed since of determination all brought on by the thought of safeguarding his charge, his best and only friend in the world. His jaw clenched together as a fierce look graced his face and a fire lit behind his blue eyes.

"Ichigo take my hand." He said which he held out for the young man. Ichigo's head popped up and his brown eyes were red from the tears. His hearing had come back. The corners of his eyes had dried up blood streaking from them and they were scanning Grimmjow's face but somehow they didn't register what they were seeing. Ichigo blinked a few times, he couldn't see a damn thing. And Grimmjow couldn't help the panic rising in his chest as the two Screechers began to get closer to their position. He reached underneath the car and grabbed Ichigo by his black hoody yanking him forward and out from underneath the car. The young man yelped. "Quiet!" Grimmjow snapped. "They're going on sound right now." Ichigo bit down on his quivering lip immediately, as his caretaker brought him to his feet.

Ichigo was still blinking his eyes no doubt trying to regain his vision. Grimmjow dragged him a few feet away into the rays of the descending sun. The two had just barely stepped out of the way, when the Alien with the gun blasted its weapon in the direction of the car again. The sound of the weapon sounded like a small bomb going off. And the top part of the car caught erupted in flames leaving the bottom untouched.

_That's how he survived_

Grimmjow thought to himself, and he brought the man in his grasp in for a bear hug around the neck kissing the top of his orange head. All the while thanking his lucky stars, that the idiot managed to hide under a nearby car. Ichigo pulled away from Grimmjow looking up at the man his vision was obviously clearing because the farmer saw his charge mouth the word. 'Blue' Grimmjow nodded and pointed in the direction that he came, then he put his index finger to his plump lips, and then the two took off running as fast as they could.

They managed to get a few blocks away to the location where Grimmjow had dropped his pack, but as the sun began to disappear fully behind the horizon. The farmer thought it best to hide in a nearby abandoned pharmacy,** Puppikooky's Family Drugs** for the night.

They entered the small building through the front glass entrance. Grimmjow pulling down the metal security shield, cloaking the room in partial darkness. What little light entering the store was from the moon outside casting through the glass display.

The inside looked like it had been ransacked which wasn't too far off from the truth. After the first wave, people just didn't care about human laws anymore as their survival instincts kicked in.

The dirty yellow four shelf high metal racks were collapsed upon each other, with what little contents they held now on the floor. Grimmjow and Ichigo stepped over the various boxed and bottled over the counter medication, several packages of women hygiene products, cotton balls and swabs, as they walked towards the back of the store, where the prescription counter was.

The counter had two windows, drop off and pick up. The 'drop off' window's metal shield had been pulled down completely while the 'pick up' window was only half way down. The register was on the floor in front of the counter broken in pieces. Grimmjow walked around to the wooden door entrance, Ichigo following closely behind. He had half expected to have to break into the room but someone else had already beat him to it. The security lock had bullet holes in the metal key pad and the silver metal handle itself was hanging off the door.

Neither of the males spoke as they walked behind the pharmacy counter. They slouched down to the floor, ducking beneath the counters of the two windows, resting their backs up against the walls. Ichigo brought his knees up to his chest, wrapping his arms protectively around his legs, his mind running a million miles an hour. Tears were still in his eyes collecting there and threatening to spill over. His caretaker rifled through his pack, pulling out a small flashlight a few moments later. He placed the light between the two of them flicking it on. After a few minutes of silence Grimmjow turned towards his friend.

He felt bad for the kid, truly he did, he remembered oh so well his first encounter with those fuckers as he hid in his closet with his father crying like a little bitch. He had meant to comfort the young man like his father had done with him. But when he grabbed the sides of Ichigo's face in the palm of his hands and he stared down in those chocolate brown eyes the pain of what he had just been put through because of Ichigo returned to him.

"What were you thinking?" Grimmjow asked in a barely audible whisper. Ichigo just shook his head from side to side he was blubbering nonsense and Grimmjow began to jerk the man's head back and forth as he continued to lay into his charge. "I could have lost you. How could you hate me that much you would risk your life like that?" He asked and Ichigo only continued to blubber nonsense his body trembling head to toe. "I thought-I thought I took good care of you. I thought we were friends" Ichigo's head collapsed in Grimmjow's hands his voice coming out in a whisper.

"Ya..ya...ya do. We are." Ichigo managed to choke out. The man hiccuped. His head slowly rose in Grimmjow's hands his brown eyes welled up with tears. "They're real Blue." Ichigo ended and the tears in his blood shot eyes spilled over and Grimmjow released him and Ichigo let his head fall to his knees as he cried. "They're dead. They're all dead." He heard Ichigo choke out between sobs. And Grimmjow felt his mouth go dry as it fell open in pure shock. He fell back against the wall with a soft thud.

_He never believed me._

Grimmjow thought to himself.

_All this time he was holding out hope that I had been lying to him. And now he knows for sure that even if he got his fucking memory back it wouldn't matter because everyone that he loved and that loved him are now dead._

He brought his knee up to his chest and rested an arm on it while his other leg outstretched in front of him.

"Ya know when I was a kid, I was scared of da dark." Grimmjow began, Ichigo wasn't making any noises. So, Grimmjow only assumed his friend was still listening. Outside they could hear the Screechers talking to one another, soft tremors in the earth evidence that more were now out on the streets. "My room always had da most perfect view of da night sky, and my mom would always tell me that the moon and stars would keep me safe while I slept, even on nights I couldn't see them." Grimmjow didn't look at his charge he just kept talking. "On the nights dat I was particularly scared, nights just like dis one." Ichigo's head popped up, his face and eyes were red he was no longer crying but there was a definite sadness and fear in those chocolate browns. "She would read me dis story." Grimmjow continued to look forward as the screeching grew louder. The farmer clicked off the flashlight, without looking down at it, as Ichigo's body stiffened nearby. His soft baritone voice in a whisper as he began to recite from memory the book his mother used to read to him.

_In the great green room_

_There was a telephone and a red balloon_

_And a picture of…_

_The cow jumping over the moon_

He continued on as the ground continued to tremble his voice nearly drowned out by the creatures that were more than likely looking for the two humans that got away.

_Goodnight room Goodnight room_

_Goodnight cow jumping over the moon_

There was a bang of metal nearby and the sound resounded throughout the pharmacy, both Ichigo and Grimmjow jumped, but Ichigo was smart enough to cover his own mouth to keep any unwanted sounds from coming out. There was another bang, and a loud long drawn out screech and this time it sounded like it was coming from right outside the pharmacy. Grimmjow felt Ichigo wrap his arms around his neck, and in turn he wrapped his arms around the smaller man's waist.

He heard Ichigo began to whisper.

"Please god. Please...please."

And as the glass to the display of the pharmacy crashed and crumbled to the ground Grimmjow spoke in an almost inaudible fearful whisper.

_Goodnight stars Goodnight air_

_Goodnight noises everywhere_

* * *

><p>The story if you never heard of it is called Goodnight Moon and it is written by Margaret Wise Brown.<p>

**A/N: Ahh it has been done. Reality bites sorry Ichi. Please review.**


	5. Me and You versus the World!

_A/N: Would you like to join my mindset? Then listen to 'It will Rain'-Bruno Mars_

_Chapter 5 Me and You versus the World_

And it all fell silent…..

Not a screech or a clank of metal. Not a rumble of the earth or the clawing of metal….nothing.

And as the two men sat underneath the pharmacy counter clinging to one another, whispering their final good-byes they too fell silent. Holding onto their breath afraid that even the sound of oxygen escaping their lungs would alert the Screechers to their position. Ichigo was still trembling and at this point he had taken the moment to duck his head under Grimmjow's chin while the farmer rested his head on top of his.

After what seemed like the longest minute in existence both the men let out a long loud sigh of relief. And they allowed their bodies to relax against the wall as relief washed over them.

And as if an alarm had gone off inside the pharmacy alerting the Screechers to their position. There was a loud crash followed by the sound of the metal security shield being torn from its hinges. Grimmjow jumped banging the top of his head on the counter. Ichigo couldn't help the yelp that escaped his lips. And as yet another loud long screech bounced off the walls. Ichigo instinctively covered his ears with his own hands.

The sound was coming from twice as many of those damn things, as the Aliens began to surround the tiny pharmacy. And Ichigo hated himself for letting out that single yelp that alerted the Screechers to his and Grimmjow's whereabouts. He felt his caretaker shift as the man made a mad grab for his military issued gun.

"Blue?" Ichigo called out and the new nickname that escaped his lips sounded more like a question than anything else.

"Just run Ichigo, I'll draw their attention to me." Grimmjow was up on his knees pointing his weapon at the entrance to the pharmacy. The gun itself rested on the white countertop, he positioned himself looking in the scope of the weapon. He then flicked the switch to turn on the night vision.

"Not without you." Ichigo's voice was a mumbled whisper but Grimmjow heard him all the same. It actually stirred something within him, something he wanted to analyze, explore but seeing how time wasn't on his side at the moment, he simply turned to his charge and offered a soft strained smile.

"Thanks." Grimmjow replied. "You mean everything to me too." Grimmjow could see Ichigo's eyes go wide. The dancing lights coming from the entrance of the pharmacy illuminated his flustered features making it possible for Grimmjow to see the emotions playing out on his charge's face. The lights that were attached to the armored suits of the Screechers were beneficial to the humans, it provided light when there was none, it also helped to keep track of the high ranking Screecher's. And in that moment it gave Grimmjow the opportunity to see Ichigo one last time.

His charge opened his mouth to speak but Grimmjow cut him short. "There should be a side door that way." The farmer gestured with his head in the direction to the left.

"Please." Ichigo grabbed at Grimmjow's upper arm and tried to tug him along. But instead the farmer roughly pushed his charge to the ground, as a heated blast obliterated the medicine files that had stood just behind him. Ichigo's mouth fell open in pure horror as the ash from the nearly six foot tall metal shelvings fell to the ground in a large pile. "Holy shit!" He breathed out.

Grimmjow returned his attention to the approaching aliens and began firing off his rounds. The screeching only grew louder but this time it hardly had any affect on Ichigo as the young man scrambled to his knees crawling over to Grimmjow.

"I SAID GO ICHI!" Grimmjow pushed him in the chest but Ichigo quickly recovered.

"NO!" The young man snapped back as he pulled the small hand gun from the small of Grimmjow's back. "If you're staying so am I." The finality in Ichigo's words had Grimmjow clenching his jaw, he looked down on his friend and the fire and defiance that burned behind those brown eyes, left no room for argument. He knew that the young man was serious. So the blue haired farmer grabbed his charge up by his black hoody.

"Keep your fucking head low!" Grimmjow spat through gritted teeth. As another blast resounded through the pharmacy and then the counter itself was ripped away exposing the two men to a Screecher. It was wearing bright red armor and a golden helmet. The two head lights on the helmet nearly blinded the two men. Its slitted eyes honed in on them, and its head fell back with arms open wide as it belted out a long loud screech and then it looked back down on the two men that were now scrambling away. Grimmjow and the Screecher locked eyes and the man with the weapon knew that gaze it was hungry. Grimmjow dropped his weapon grabbing Ichigo by the midsection pulling him backwards and falling on top of him doing his best to hide the young man from sight.

"Blue what are you doing?" Ichigo asked as he tried to claw his way from underneath his caretaker.

"When he eats me run!" Grimmjow breathed in his ear.

"Wha-" Ichigo began to say as he craned his head to the side to look up at the man that had looked after him for so long without so much as a care in the world. But before he could form a proper sentence, he felt a sticky warm wet substance splatter across his face as Grimmjow began to cough up blood. Grimmjow was then yanked upwards and Ichigo felt his mind began to race as those claws tightened around Grimmjow's body making the man cough up more blood as he was hoisted up into the air near the Screecher's mouth. Now Ichigo knew that he should have kicked it into high gear as was instructed by his caretaker, but fuck his brain at the moment.

"LET GO OF HIM!" Ichigo aimed his small hand gun at the alien and began firing, now he didn't know if he actually handled a weapon in the past but he didn't care as he continued to fire in the direction of the Screecher that was about to eat his only friend in the world. "LET HIM GO!" and then he began screaming what could only be described as a war cry. One of the bullets made contact with the Screecher's left red eye piercing it and instantly it began to ooze green thick blood. It howled out a painful shrilled screech as it dropped Grimmjow to the ground with a grunt. "Blue!" Ichigo gasped out dropping his empty weapon to the ground as he scrambled to help his friend. Not realizing as the injured Alien stepped out of the all too small pharmacy another one stepped into its place, holding a weapon. It didn't wait finding the two humans to be more trouble than they were worth eating. It began firing round after round into the small cramped space. Ichigo rolled once dodging the first shot, he fell back on his ass to dodge the second. The young man toppled backwards, lying flat on his back to narrowly missing the next shot fired at his head. His head fell to the side and it was in the flash of the heat and shine of the moon that he saw their way out. In the back of the pharmacy two words that he thought would never mean so much to him **FIRE EXIT.**

Grimmjow had found his discarded weapon when he was thrown to the ground picking his weapon up, he checked the clip, which was about half full. He managed to roll half way on his side determined to fire the remaining rounds into the screecher that had it's sights set on Ichigo. And his breathing nearly stop, when the front of the store was nearly ripped away by the claws of more aliens as they began to descend on the tiny pharmacy.

"Shit." Grimmjow said through gritted teeth. They were not going to make it out of this place at all.

_Why didn't he run when I told him to._

Grimmjow thought to himself. And just when the man was about to lose hope he felt Ichigo grab him up by his collar, as the smaller male began to drag his injured caretaker towards the back of the store.

"Don't stop shooting Blue." Grimmjow realized he wasn't really in the position to argue at all and did what he was told. But instead of firing haphazardly the farmer actually started aiming towards the weakest point to their body their face and neck.

He felt himself being dragged backwards and as he continued to fire his remaining rounds into the approaching aliens he heard a loud bang and felt the gush of the cool night air hitting the back of his neck and the sides of his face.

Ichigo kicked the metal door close, and although he knew the door wouldn't do anything to stop the approaching Screechers he prayed to anyone that would listen that it would at least slow them down.

"We can hide in those woods" Grimmjow pointed in the distance. Ichigo could see the tall trees a street over and wondered if they could even make it that far, and if they did how many of those things would be hidden within the overgrown forestry. Grimmjow hobbled to his feet, groaning at the protest of his wounded midsection that was slowly oozing blood. He quickly slung his weapon on his back and grabbed Ichigo by the forearm as the metal door flew off it's hinges. "Gotta go Tiger."

"Yea-Yeah." Ichigo nodded in agreement as he looked back in fear at the unarmored bottom half of a Screecher, currently he and his buddies were pounding at the wall trying to get through, since they were all too tall to make it through the narrow short opening known as a human doorframe.

Grimmjow and Ichigo dug deep down capturing the remaining strength and bravery left in their bodies before dragging themselves out into the open street behind the pharmacy.

It was unnaturally dark seeing how the street lights had permanently went out when the rest of humankind had faded. The night moon and stars providing light but not much. Grimmjow grunted as he grabbed at his gaping wound with his left hand and fumbling in his clothes with his right hand. For the little flashlight he had a few minutes ago. He clicked on the device and the tiny light lit up the street shining a path to the forest beyond.

Ichigo wrapped his left arm around Grimmjow's waist trying to help the blue haired farmer who looked like he was all but dragging his body across the narrow street.

"Do you think it's smart to be shining that?" Ichigo asked slightly worried that the small flashlight would alert the pursuing aliens to their whereabouts.

"No, but we need to see." Grimmjow grumbled out, he snarled as Ichigo shifted him throwing his right arm around his neck. There was a loud crashing sound from behind as the Aliens inside the pharmacy finally broke through the wall. Both Ichigo and Grimmjow paused and slowly turned their heads in the direction of the crash, they shared a terrified glance before they began hobbling faster towards the forestry.

"We're not gonna make it." Grimmjow grumbled out. He was too injured and he was slowing them down and he knew it.

"We will. Just stop using all your energy; flapping your damn lips!" Ichigo snapped back.

Although Grimmjow appreciated the sentiment he knew better and if his only friend had any chance of getting away he would have to let the farmer go.

"GO!" Grimmjow yelled over the nearby screeching, he yanked the orange haired male's arm from around his neck and pushed the man away falling to his knees on the hard asphalt. "Take this." Grimmjow breathed out heavily as he rolled the flashlight towards Ichigo. The young man with the piss poor attitude yanked the flashlight up from the ground and then grabbed his caretaker up underneath his arm.

"For the last time I'm not going without you!" Ichigo said in determination. Grimmjow coughed up more blood as he began to fight with his friend. Pushing the man away. "We don't have time for this Blue!" Ichigo snapped.

_He sounds like my father_

Grimmjow thought to himself. He had a lot of regrets in his life most recently how his father died. The old man had sacrificed himself so his only son could get away. And now his sacrifice was about to be for nothing as the the young farmer was about to do the same for his only friend in the world.

He reached up throwing his arm around Ichigo's shoulder with much effort grabbing a fist full of black sweatshirt.

The forest seemed so far away even though it had to be only a couple of feet from them. The ground trembled and the neighboring cars began to bounce up and down on the street as the Screechers began to come out of their hiding places. They were coming from alleyways and from the inside of large buildings, and from a distance Grimmjow could make out the sounds of their spaceships heading in their direction.

_Aren't we lucky they need all hands on deck for two little humans_

Grimmjow's thoughts were on overdrive he hated those damn things and right now all he wanted was for them not to come from the very place they were headed.

Grimmjow was practically dragging his bloodied and bruised body. His breathing was beginning to pick up and he was beginning to think one of his ribs were cracked or broken. He grimaced slightly at a familiar sound of a gun revving up nearby.

"Get down!" Grimmjow yelled as he pushed Ichigo down by the top of his head falling on top of the young man as a blast flew past their heads nearly incinerating them. The shot intended for the two men hit a nearby brick building. The blast nearly took the building down leaving a rather large hole in the corner, tiny red dust particles cloaked the two men in a dusty haze. Ichigo began coughing alerting the Screechers to the fact the two men were still alive.

"Let's go." Grimmjow spoke, Ichigo stood up first followed by the injured farmer dragging his caretaker along as the blue haired man threw his arm over his friend's shoulder.

"We're almost there Tiger." Grimmjow breathed out. As the Screechers grew closer to them the ground trembled even more making it even more difficult for the two men to get away. They began to stumble knocking into one another as they drew closer to their safe haven. The forest tree line was so close.

"You can make it Blue." Ichigo encouraged, Grimmjow had lost so much blood and he was beginning to get dizzy. Trying to keep himself up right as the ground trembled more and more they were staggering and now they could hear several guns revving up. Ichigo was now all but dragging him to the forest. He could vaguely feel his feet when they touched the soft earth of the forest floor and the cool breeze that blew past his warm cheeks from the swaying trees within. It was cloaked in darkness their safe haven except for a single dancing light from their small flashlight.

Grimmjow felt his body go limp, before his vision blackened. And he remembered his final wish for Ichigo to just let him go.

He awoken some time later to the sounds of water running nearby with a slight echo in the air. There was also the sound of Ichigo's raspy breathing and the rustling of his sticky dirty clothes. Where ever they were it was dank and cold. He groaned out his frustration.

"Shh! Blue they'll hear you." Came Ichigo's voice and for the moment Grimmjow wondered if he had been dreaming.

"Ich..Ich-" Grimmjow tried to speak his voice low and strained a tiny whisper.

"Shh, I'm trying. I am. But I'm not like you." Ichigo's voice sounded a bit panicky and the young man made sure to whisper. "I don't know what I'm doing Blue." Grimmjow's vision was hazed as well as his mind, he couldn't figure out if he was having troubles with his vision or if it was just that dark where ever they were. He could feel the tremors in the earth and the sounds of the Screechers talking to each other in the distance. "Can you tell me what to do?" Ichigo asked and it sounded like he was pleading.

Grimmjow felt his head loll side to side and he groaned once more. His fingerless gloved hand made it's way to his dirty forehead, his lower body felt incredibly numb and then he remembered the injuries he sustained.

"There's so much blood. I-I doa-don't know what to do." There was a choke sob from an obviously distraught Ichigo.

"Sewing kit. My pack." Grimmjow managed to groan out.

"I got that-but your wound."

"Clean it!" Grimmjow snapped

"But-but it's"

"Don't be a pussy!"

"I'm not!" Ichigo snapped tersely. "I was going to say the marks that thing left with it's claws are deep and wide and a needle and thread just isn't good enough your wounds are still seeping." Grimmjow bit down on his bottom lip and tears began to form at the corner of his eyes.

"Where are we?"

"Great I tell you that you are practically bleeding to death and you ask me something like that."

"Are we hidden from sight?" Grimmjow was ignoring Ichigo's comment at the current moment.

"We're in a cave it's out of sight enough for me to do this." Ichigo flicked on the flashlight. "I figure we could save the batteries." He said as he flicked the small device off again.

"Can you build a small fire in here somewhere?" Grimmjow spoke, his voice still nothing but a whisper.

"Yeah over in the corner, but won't it attract them."

"You won't burn it all night just long enough to-" Grimmjow cut short his sentence, when he felt Ichigo's face hover over his. The man's breath was hot on his face.

"Grimmjow I can't do that."

"It's either that or you let me bleed to death." Ichigo fell back on his bottom bringing his legs to his chest and hugging them with his arms. It really was a no brainer Grimmjow thought but then again his charge had been traumatized enough for one day.

"Oh-Okay but what's to stop you from screaming out and alerting them." Ichigo spoke after what seemed like forever.

"Because you are going to gag me and make sure you do it while they're screeching." Grimmjow waited to let the information sink in for Ichigo before he said another word. "Now ya got ta hurry up Tiger. The lighter is in the side pocket of my pack."

A few long minutes later a small fire flickered in the far back corner of the cave the two men were hidden in. Grimmjow was lying on his back close to the fire in a bed of fall brown leaves. His green tattered jacket was being used as a pillow, while his grey henley was being used as an oversized gauze covering his wound. His grey fingerless gloves were balled up together and stuffed in his mouth.

Ichigo removed Grimmjow's hunting knife from it's leather brown sheath. He looked down at his caretaker and then swallowed the lump in his throat.

"I don't want to hurt you Blue but-" Ichigo didn't finish his sentence as Grimmjow nodded in acknowledgment. Ichigo wasn't stupid and even though he didn't have his memories of his past he still knew a thing or two. And as he held the knife over the flame and watched the silver metal slowly redden he began to pray yet again that day.

"God" Ichigo began. "Maybe you're tired of me, maybe you're not." Ichigo removed the blade from the small flames and he looked down on the redden blade as it began to slowly cool. "But as you know already I kinda need you right now." Ichigo held the blade over Grimmjow's injured lowered abdomen as the gray henley was pulled away. Revealing to his eyes three poorly stitched gashes that practically covered Grimmjow's entire torso.

"But if you can grant me one more wish." And as a Screecher began to screech he pressed the hot blade to one of the wounds and the searing sound of hot metal to flesh, the instant smell of burning flesh mixed with Grimmjow's muffled cries and the Screecher's screeching nearby nearly broke his resolve. "Please make him sleep through this."

But it seemed like Ichigo's prayers fell on mute ears because Grimmjow didn't pass out from shock like he had hoped and by the third time Ichigo was in tears.

"Once more Blue. Just once more" Ichigo spoke as he held the blade over the dying flames. He brought the knife back to the last seeping wound and he looked down on his friend and as the Screeching nearby resounded throughout the forest the two men were thankful for the noise that drowned out once more, Grimmjow's muffled cries.

The tears that had collected at the corner of the farmer's eyes had long since fallen and they were followed by many afterwards. When all was said and done Ichigo flung the weapon away from him, he was breathing heavily like he had carried the heaviest load for miles. He removed the fingerless gloves from his friend's mouth and held the farmers face in both of his hands. He hovered over his caretaker's face, the nearby dimming flames casting a tiny light on their faces.

There were so many things Grimmjow wanted to say to Ichigo as the man looked down at him. So many things going through his mind and he felt sad for his friend. The tears that flowed from those brown eyes it had hurt Ichigo to cause him so much pain. He wanted to tell his friend thank-you for saving his life, for not leaving him behind and that he would never put him in the position that would cause him pain ever again but before he could utter a word. Before his mind had adequate time to make sense of anything, Ichigo surprised him yet again that day.

He lowered his head, bumping foreheads with his bewildered caretaker and as the last flame flickered out.

He kissed him…..

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Whew! I have nothing left to say. Tsk...tsk….Wow that ending even shocked the shit out of me. Review Please!**


	6. Times like these

_Would you like to join my mindset come on you know you do. Listen to "Holding on and Letting Go" Ross Copperman_

Chapter 6 Times like these

_What am I doing?_

The question ringed out in Ichigo's mind, as the butterflies formed in the pit of his stomach as he knelt beside his former caretaker with the man's face captured between his cold soft hands.

_Am I even gay?_

Grimmjow's lips had to be the softest thing in the world to Ichigo, and he couldn't stop himself even though his mind was screaming for him to. It was confused his mind, and at that moment his hands and lips decided to take free reign. Without another thought his tongue darted from his mouth to run across Grimmjow's lips and when his friend didn't comply with his request he tilted his head to the side and began to nibble on the farmer's bottom lip before sucking it into his mouth. His hands tangled in the mess of blue hair and a thought crossed his mind.

_How soft…._

Ichigo captured Grimmjow's upper lip between his own and sucked gently on it. His mind was assaulting him with doubt and guilt and he wanted so badly to quiet the voices and just enjoy the warm close proximity of his only friend in the world. Oh how he needed the escape. But unfortunately for him reality came crashing down on him when the realization hit him that Grimmjow was reciprocating his actions.

The farmer wasn't moving or making any sounds and the young man felt his heart sink into his own chest. Ichigo bit back the rest of his pride as he slowly pulled away from the man he hovered over.

His head was a couple of inches from Grimmjow's and he was afraid to even make eye contact.

_That's what I get for not thinking...this is starting to become a habit of mine_

He chastised himself in his own head. He bit down on his bottom lip he looked up and to the left at the entrance of the cave, there were dancing lights coming from the roaming Screechers in the forest but beyond that it was pitch black. The tiny fire that had been burning bright had long since died and he was thankful that all he could see was the outline of Grimmjow's face.

The young man with the orange hair shifted slightly so that he could sit up to his full height but he was grabbed roughly by his left forearm. Ichigo looked down at his caretaker and he could faintly see the man's bright blue eyes staring back up at him.

"Grim-Grimmjow I'm sorry I don't know what I-" Ichigo was cutoff when the man on the cave floor yanked him down by his arm catching him by the back of his head. This was unexpected for sure. As Ichigo found himself once again hovering over Grimmjow's face. He could feel the man's warm breath on his face and the quiet rumble of the man's chest as a groan made it's way through the farmer's body.

Maybe it was the close proximity or the fact that it was a chill in the air or possibly it was the nearby screeching, but whatever it was sent a noticeable shiver through Ichigo's body one that Grimmjow didn't miss.

"What was that Tiger?" That question was fair enough and yet Ichigo didn't want to answer it. And the truth of the matter was he didn't know how to answer it, so he chose to shrug his shoulders. "You don't know?" Grimmjow pressed further and Ichigo nodded his head. He felt incredibly small at the moment.

_Why did I do it? What was I thinking?_

Ichigo closed his eyes thankful for the darkness. He was more than sure at the moment his face flamed a nice bright shade of red. Yes, he was embarrassed. He had kissed his best friend and fuck if he knew the reason why. Hell it could have been because he was attracted to the man or maybe it was because he was happy the man didn't die and leave him all alone.

"Will you let me go Grimmjow?" He asked, his voice a barely audible whisper and there was a certain coldness lining his words. He heard the farmer groan he was obviously displeased. But he did let him go and it was almost like the farmer used his remaining strength to fling Ichigo away from him. Ichigo could hear his caretaker smack his lips in the distance.

_What the hell is his problem?_

Ichigo asked the question in his mind and like a mind reader Grimmjow answered his question out loud.

"Fucking tease!" Now he could barely hear those two words over the nearby Screeching and at the moment he should have been more worried about how close those Aliens seem to be getting but if he was going to die that very night there were a few cobwebs Grimmjow was about to clear up.

"Did you just call me a tease Grimmjow?" Ichigo asked. And the injured man on the ground shot up so fast grabbing Ichigo by the front of his hoody and yanking the young man close to him.

"Oh so now I'm back to being Grimmjow?" The farmer clicked his tongue after his sentence.

"Dude you're fucking confusing me!"

"I'm confusing you?" "I'm fucking confusing you! You little shit!"

_Ouch that hurt_

Was Ichigo's only thought, his heartbeat began to pick up and he had this gnawing feeling like he had just been betrayed.

"Are you even gay?" Grimmjow asked. Once again a logical reasonable question. And to this question Ichigo shrugged again. "Great! Just fucking great!"

_I am a little shit_

Grimmjow let out a sigh and Ichigo could see the man shaking his head from side to side.

"I've been through enough today Ichigo."

"Me too!" Ichigo retorted all the while he was thinking something different.

_Jerk!_

Grimmjow snickered where he sat on the cold cave floor.

"Whatever." Grimmjow finally responded releasing his hold on Ichigo and as if the pains of his wounds finally caught up with him the farmer let out a groan of pain, biting down on his lip to withhold any unwanted sounds.

"Here." Ichigo reached out to help his friend. He wrapped an arm around the man's waist, and then extended a hand to check the wounds he had only minutes before stitched and burned closed. Grimmjow grabbed his hand and began squeezing the digits painfully within in his grasp.

"No I got it." The man's voice sound strained and Ichigo knew he was in too much pain and in no shape to care for himself.

"Stop being a jerk and let me help you!" Ichigo felt his eyebrows grow dangerously close to one another and his bottom lip stuck out.

_Hold the fuck up am I pouting right now._

He began to chastise himself in his head.

_Fix your fucking face Ichigo!_

"Look I don't mean ta offend ya. After all you are my only friend." Grimmjow began to slowly loosen his grip on Ichigo's fingers. "But I need ya away from me right now."

_Ouch_

Ichigo felt himself shrink in size as Grimmjow finally released his hold on him.

"I'm sorry." He closed his eyes as he began replaying the events of the day in his mind's eye. "I was stupid to leave the hospital. After everything you did for me. If it wasn't for me you wouldn't have-"

"I'm not mad about dat." Grimmjow cut in to his apology. And Ichigo blinked open his eyes. Thankful for the fact that his eyes were all cried out, because inside he wanted to shed a few more tears for his utter stupidity and for getting his only friend hurt.

"Your-you-re not?" He asked in disbelief.

"No..I just don't….can't have ya near me right now." Grimmjow looked down at the wounds he really couldn't see that was still exposed to the night air and although the cool breeze felt good to his burning and aching wounds he worried about the exposure and the possibility of getting ill from it.

"Are you gay?" Ichigo asked and he nearly bit off his own tongue when he heard the words escape his lips.

_You're on a roll today you idiot! Once again not thinking._

He was beginning to hate that voice in his head. Grimmjow didn't look at him he just continued to look down at his injured midsection. Ichigo felt terrible, like he crossed the line he had been unknowingly teetering on for awhile now.

_You kissed him dumb ass not the other way around. You've got no right._

The silence lingered and neither of the males had noticed the screeching had stopped. Grimmjow let out an exasperated sigh and then sucked his teeth.

"Since I can remember." Grimmjow's reply.

Ichigo felt the color drain from his body and his skin became cold and clammy and it felt like it was crawling.

"Then why didn't you kiss me back?" His voice was nothing but a whisper as he spoke and he felt oddly childlike as if he had been the last kid picked for recess soccer.

"One minute, I was in pain, feeling sorry for my only friend in the world for what he was going through, and the next minute your lips were on mine." Grimmjow turned his head towards Ichigo's direction he could see the outline of the young man's body but nothing else. "I thought I was dreaming at first, and by the time I realized I wasn't, you had pulled away from me." Ichigo had found the cave's wall and he rested his back on the hard surface as he sat there and listened to Grimmjow in disbelief. He brought his legs up to his chest his arms dangling from his knees. "Don't get me wrong you are a very attractive man."

Ichigo felt his heart sink once again that night for reasons unknown to him as he waited for the but that was about to follow that statement.

"But I never allowed myself ta go there-"

"Why?" Ichigo cut in impatiently.

To this question his blue haired friend scoffed in annoyance.

"What are da odds dat after months of searching fer someone. I come across da most exotic beautiful creature I ave' eva laid my eyes on and that dat same creature would also be gay." Ichigo heard Grimmjow click his tongue and he could imagine the man was shaking his head too. "Highly unlikely….and then after months of looking after ya. I started losing hope ya eva would wake up." There was a pause from the farmer as the man collected his thoughts. "Even though I was attracted to you and I wanted ta feel da touch of another human. I wanted someone I could talk ta more, or at least someone dat would talk back….I just wanted fer you ta wake up, so I wouldn't feel so alone. So I begin praying fer ya ta just wake up. And I swore ta god and myself if ya did I would be da best friend you could ever ask for and I would ask for nothing else in return, but for you ta be my friend back." Grimmjow fell silent again Ichigo could hear him take in a long breath before exhaling. "And when you finally woke up, I made myself keep dat promise. And you made it so easy too, because up and til a few minutes ago you didn't give any signs that you even felt….well you know."

"Did I ruin our friendship Blue?" Ichigo asked.

"Naw ya didn't Tiger, But for the rest of tanight can ya just stay over there?" Ichigo nodded his head to the question and though they were cloaked in darkness, Grimmjow could see his friend agree to his simple request. "Thanks." The blue haired farmer spoke in acknowledgment at Ichigo's wordless reply.

* * *

><p>Grimmjow fell asleep sometime after that leaving Ichigo with his thoughts. For the first time since he woke up he had the strong urge to remember who he was. Not that he didn't care about getting his memories back before but now he wanted more than anything to just remember who <em>he<em> was.

The truth was he really wasn't sure if he was gay. Did have someone he loved before his coma? Sure it would help to know if he was gay or if he had someone before the coma, But did it really matter? Ichigo did a lot of stupid things that day and it would be nice to know was that normal behavior for him? Did he often jump head first into a situation without thinking? The young man let his head fall back to the hard cold cave wall still in his same sitting position his mind running a million miles an hour.

_But out of everything I've done today. Leaving the hospital, nearly getting Grimmjow eaten and then sloppily stitching his wounds so badly that I would have to cauterize them . I can't say the kiss was the dumbest thing I did….actually if I'm honest with myself it wasn't dumb at all._

He let that thought simmer in his mind. Although the kiss was a bit one sided he still enjoyed the feeling of Grimmjow's lips on his.

_So I guess I am then. Why else would have enjoyed that kiss so much_

_"Because you're masochist and an idiot why put yourself through this again."_

A little voice in him spoke and it shocked the hell out of the young man.

_Again?_

He inquired of his own thoughts.

_"Yes again. Don't you remember?"_

Ichigo folded his arms over his knees and then rested his chin on his folded arms.

_Remember what?_

The voice fell silent in his mind. And as the sun began to rise and sift light into the dark cave he felt his heavy eyelids fall close taking him into a dreamless sleep.

He awoke with renewed rejuvenation to find Grimmjow up on his knees rifling through his pack.

"Mornin." Ichigo sighed groggily stretching his arms high above his head. Grimmjow looked up at him and smiled weakly. He was still shirtless holding his left hand over one of his wounds. They looked terrible as some of them were now oozy a mixture of blood and puss. "Oh god that looks terrible."

"Morning. I know." The farmer said as he turned back to rifling in his pack.

"What are you looking for?" Ichigo asked as he scrambled towards his caretaker.

"Gauze, alcohol something for these wounds. I usually keep some in here. Just in case something happens to me while I'm out scavenging."

"Here let me look." Ichigo said reaching for the bag. Grimmjow fell back on his legs tossing the pack towards his friend.

"Hey I got these fer ya yesterday." Grimmjow said tossing Ichigo the boots he had found. In all the chaos he had forgotten about them.

"Hmm thanks." Ichigo said holding up the black boots and examining them. They were his size and they looked fairly new. He placed them down on the ground and went to searching through the bag for something to clean and dress Grimmjow's wounds.

Once again Ichigo found himself in another predicament where he was inflicting pain on Grimmjow. As he nominated himself to clean the man's wounds with rubbing alcohol. And he had to use up all the gauze and most of the tape to dress the wounds.

"We need ta head back ta da hospital now." Grimmjow said standing up. He was wearing nothing but his green tattered jacket, his shirt had been soaked with his blood and was now too dirty to wear. His jeans were no better but he wasn't going to walk around town in just his boxers. Ichigo had just finished putting on his new boots. His gray jogging pants and black hoody were ruined because of Grimmjow's blood but they would have to do.

"Sure." Ichigo then lowered his head and his shoulders slumped.

"What's wrong Tiger?"

"I gotta tell you Blue, I'm scared ass shit to leave this cave." Ichigo felt Grimmjow give him a playful jab to his chin with his knuckles. He looked up into those blue eyes that he had come to trust over a very short time.

"I wouldn't expect nothing less." Grimmjow found his military grade weapon which Ichigo had leaned up against a nearby wall the previous night. He checked the chamber and then ejected the clip. "Don't worry those fuckers may own the night." He tossed the empty clip in his opened packed and pulled out a new one before shoving it into the weapon. "But we own da day." He flashed Ichigo his trademark grin. "Where's ya weapon?"

Ichigo's face paled, in all the commotion at the pharmacy and the cave he had lost the small hand gun. "I-I."

"You lost it." Grimmjow finished Ichigo's sentence for him. The man shook his head. "Okay then you're gonna have ta stick close ta my side. Since I'm still not 100% ya have ta carry my pack for me too."

It was a slow quiet journey back to the hospital and Ichigo made sure he stuck close to Grimmjow's side. Soft tremors in the earth and distant screeching alerted the two men to the presence of Screechers nearby and Grimmjow assured Ichigo they had nothing to worry about.

They walked down side streets, took shortcuts through burned down and abandoned homes and businesses.

"They tend to be out on da main streets if yer wondering." Grimmjow said as they entered another house. "These are places I'm sure they're not in, areas I know fer sure they don't occupy and if I'm right when you left the hospital you left the back way?" Grimmjow turned back to look at Ichigo and the young man just nodded his head to the question posed to him. "Then it safe ta say they are going ta be swarming that area near the hospital's back entrance."

"You mean they actually think we would go back-" Ichigo started to speak but was cut off by Grimmjow.

"We are going back ta da hospital aren't we?" Ichigo thought about that and then he remembered something from the previous day.

"Blue one of those things saw me when I came out-"

"I figured as much, but there is still shit there we need."

"Blue!" Ichigo eyes were the size of saucers and his heart was beating a million miles an hour.

"I know ya scared. I was too after my first encounter, but we left all our shit in dat hospital. We need the ammunition, the food, I need medicine and gauze and without dat shit, we won't make it out of Daytona let alone dis state. I wish we had time ta scavenge fer more stuff but we don't those things are looking fer us Tiger." Grimmjow stared at Ichigo for a moment and when the orange haired male showed no signs that he was going to calm down. He bit down on his bottom lip and shook his head. "Aww get over here." He brought Ichigo in for a bear hug around his neck, the young man lowered his head and he could feel his friend kiss the top of his head. He was beginning to like that gesture. "Ya gotta start trusting me Tiger."

Ichigo's head snapped up at that statement and for a moment he stared into Grimmjow's blue eyes and he could hear the man catch his own breath as when he finally spoke his voice was clear and concise.

"I do trust you Blue." Ichigo said, he didn't break eye contact. "It's like you said. All I got is you and all you got is me."

"That's right." Grimmjow said with a smirk and he started to walk away from his friend but he was grabbed by his green jacket and held in place. He looked back to find Ichigo staring at him with a fierce determination and for a moment Ichigo's teeth could be heard grinding together.

"So, the next time you think about giving up and sacrificing yourself. You remember that." Grimmjow's mouth fell open in shock and then his mouth shifted into a smile before he let out a low chuckle.

"Got it." Grimmjow pried Ichigo's fingers from his jacket one at a time, the young man still had his brown eyes fixed on the farmer. "Say how about we see if we can find a change of clothes in dis house." Grimmjow said looking around the rather large fully furnished living room they were standing in. The house itself was furnished like it came out of a page of the 'Better Homes and Gardens' magazine.

Ichigo found a pair of black jeans that fitted loosely on his hips, revealing his plaid blue boxers, a white Van Halen t-shirt that said** Rock Hard Forever** and he traded his hoodie for a black and red lined windbreaker.

Grimmjow found a pair of straight legged light blue jeans held up by his plain black belt with a plain black t-shirt that hugged his torso rather tightly and of course his lucky green tattered jacket that was stained in places with his blood.

They left the house and were walking briskly towards the hospital. Ichigo began to mindlessly count both his and Grimmjow's heavy booted footsteps. And after awhile somehow he and his friend fell into step together, and he found himself looking down at the ground, at the cracked and burned asphalt and although they were now walking in the middle of the street surrounded by empty and burned out buildings and cars which were parked on the streets waiting for their owners to return, Ichigo wasn't afraid of the open exposure.

The truth was he now trusted Grimmjow wholeheartedly and without reservation. Lost within in his own mind he hadn't realized that Grimmjow had stop walking and he ran into the man's back. His friend reach back and grabbed him partly around the waist.

"Shh Tiger! Follow me." Grimmjow said in a whisper. He grabbed a hold of Ichigo's arm an pulled him over near a car and got down on his haunches Ichigo copied his movements.

"What-" Ichigo started to ask and was cut off when Grimmjow turned around to face him, with his index finger to his lips.

"Sentry." Grimmjow said in another low whisper pointing in the direction behind him. Ichigo looked over his caretaker's shoulders and there standing right outside the door of the hospital, was a lone Screecher in full armor weapon at the low ready scanning the nearby area like a security camera that moved from side to side on its own taking in the environment.

"Are we still going in?" Ichigo asked and surprisingly enough he wasn't afraid whatever the answer was going to be.

"Yes." Grimmjow turned back around to face the Sentry Screecher. "We'll just go in another way."

The two men slowly backed away from the car, careful not to make a sound, careful not to breath. Grimmjow led Ichigo through a building that had to be the remnants of a pizza restaurant which was next door to the hospital. They exited out of the building through a fire exit, to a side street.

"Here." Grimmjow pointed down to a man whole in the middle of the street. "Since we can't go in through the door we'll have ta go through the floor."

It smelled in the sewer system like molded shitty death. And for the first time since Ichigo got his brand new boots he was very happy to have them instead of the brown penny loafers. When they finally emerged from the sewer system they were in some sort of boiler room in the basement of the hospital. Grimmjow lead them effortlessly through the intricate maze. And a few minutes later they were in the kitchen of the hospital and making their way through the open atrium of cafeteria and up to Ichigo's hospital room.

"So I'm guessing we're leaving the same way we came in?" Ichigo asked in a whisper.

"We sure are Tiger." Grimmjow spoke turning his head back to give his friend a half smirk.

When they arrived in the familiar hospital room Ichigo breathed a sigh of relief. That room which was still in the same disarray as the day he woke up from his coma had been his safe haven. He stopped in the doorway looking around the room, his eyes finally falling on his bed that still lay in the middle of the room at an angle. Grimmjow disappeared into the bathroom.

"Get ya another gun Tiger and put the rest of da ammunition in here." Grimmjow flung another pack from the bathroom the bright pink sack had a picture of a unicorn on it with a rainbow over it. Ichigo grimaced.

"I'm not carrying that." Grimmjow peeked his head out of the bathroom.

"Oh I don't think da neighbors are gonna make fun of ya." Ichigo turned up his nose. "Then carry dis if you want ta be so fashion forward." Grimmjow finished his sentence holding up the bomb he had been hiding in the bathroom wiggling his blue eyebrows up and down. Ichigo's chocolate brown eyes shot open so wide he thought they were going to pop out from their sockets.

"No my little pony is just fine." He said scurrying over to pick up the bag from the floor.

"Thought so." Grimmjow said with a scoff and a roll of his bright blue eyes.

Ichigo did as he was told filling the bag with ammunition and he picked up a black handgun from the over-the-bed table. Ichigo turned the gun over several times in his hand admiring the simplicity and the weight of the weapon. Grimmjow peered his head out of the bathroom again. What was he doing in there?

"Hey ya got room for stuff for my wounds." Ichigo nodded and then headed over to the cabinets where he knew his friend kept the gauze. Grimmjow emerged from the bathroom pack and bomb in hand. He walked over to Ichigo's bed and began shifting stuff around in his pack so that he could close it properly.

Ichigo turned towards the small window he had never bothered to look out of and he wondered whether looking out that window before hand would have made a difference. So he walked towards that window, the sun shining brightly through the vertical blinds. He used his hands to part them so he could look out properly and he had to catch his breath from the sight that awaited him.

No wonder why he never seen Grimmjow look out the window before the sight was depressing. The world had been thoroughly destroyed. The burned blackness of the houses, cars and everything that should have been green nearly broke his heart. If he had seen this before hand he would have never left the hospital, he would have never doubted Grimmjow.

Ichigo then looked up from the ground towards the sky and gasped falling back into the over-the-bed table knocking it over and drawing Grimmjow's attention. There in the window was a small titanium flying machine. A bright red laser radiated from it's black face plate right on Ichigo's face.

"Drone! Get down Ichi!" Grimmjow yelled knocking into Ichigo. The two fell against the wall knocking into the I.V. stand as a blast took out the opposite wall of the window.

"FUCK!" Ichigo screamed as Screeching began to resound outside the three story hospital. "Blue I'm sor-"

"No time for apologies!" Grimmjow grunted as his hand darted to his lower gut blood was now seeping through his black shirt. "Dammit!" He had reopened his wounds. "Give me that!" Grimmjow snapped taking Ichigo's weapon from him. The alien drone had honed in on them again and was now pointing its laser beam at the two men again. Grimmjow aimed at the place where the red light radiated from and with a single shot the Drone exploded and fell from the air.

The blue haired farmer scrambled to his feet helping Ichigo up and then handing him back his weapon. He walked over to the bed which had fallen on it's side from the blast. His pack and the bomb laid on the floor. The man picked up the bomb and began pressing the buttons on the front of it as the hospital itself began to shake and tremble.

"They're inside the hospital." Grimmjow breathed out looking up and around the room.

"What-What are you doing?" Ichigo asked slightly horrified regardless of the new found trust he had in his caretaker, he didn't like the thought of the man messing with a bomb. Grimmjow with his gun already slung over his back, slung his pack over his right shoulder.

"We got four minutes let's go." Grimmjow placed the bomb on the counter top and Ichigo could see the device counting down. The farmer pulled another handgun from the small of his back. Where the hell was he getting all of these weapons?

"Shit!" Ichigo breathed out.

"LET'S GO!" Grimmjow yelled at him snapping Ichigo out of his frozen state. Ichigo grabbed up his pink bag before darting out into the unknown.

"Where are they?" Ichigo asked once they reached the first floor, although he was happy they hadn't ran into any Screechers he was starting to worry they were about to run right into a trap.

"Don't know just keep moving. We're running out of time."

Ichigo was running out of breath he was tired from all the running but he couldn't help the nagging feeling he was getting.

"Blue."

"What!" Grimmjow called back to him as they rounded the corner that lead to the open atrium of the hospital cafeteria.

"I feel like we are about to run into a trap."

"Well we don't have time to go back!"

Ichigo thought about talking to the man upstairs again but as Grimmjow picked up his pace, he thought better of the idea. They finally reached the open atrium, and the two men suddenly found themselves sliding to a halt.

There they were standing in a huddle four Screechers all in armor, all holding a weapon, and at the sound of rubber soles screeching to a stop they all turned to look at the two men. It took the aliens no time to react raising their weapons up, and that oh so familiar whirring sound had Ichigo rolling his eyes and his head falling back looking up at the ceiling and he had but one thought.

_Really?_


	7. Finally

_A/N: I am angry and I am hurt so if this sucks oh well…._

Chapter 7 Finally

"Hey Fuckers eat this!" Grimmjow yelled. Ichigo's head snapped forward just in time to see Grimmjow's hand swing forward releasing a tiny green ball, and when he realized what it was he completely freaked out.

"WHAT THE FUCK! BLUE!"

Once again Ichigo had put them in a situation, and once again they were face to face with these terrible beings and of course it was up to Grimmjow to get them out of it. But unlike the previous encounters this time the blue haired farmer was ready, he was fucking prepared.

He could hear Ichigo screaming profanities at him and at the moment they weren't registering, he grabbed the man by the crown of his head and shoved him down on the ground instinctively falling on top of the screaming orange haired man, covering his friend's body with his own. His arms came up over of his head, his hands lacing at the back, as he buried his face in that soft mess of long orange hair.

The room shook violently moments later, debris raining down upon them but at least the screeching had stopped. The fluorescent lights that had been affixed to the ceiling of the open atrium had either exploded collapsing to the floor from the blast or were hanging down by a few cords blinking on and off, providing dim lighting towards their exit.

Grimmjow looked for a second at the devastation and a pure maniacal grin split his face when he noticed the aliens entrails splattered on the ceilings, floor and walls.

"God I love grenades!" He said a bit dreamy eyed.

"WHAT THE FUCK BLUE!" Ichigo yelled once more. As he was hoisted to his feet by Grimmjow. "ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL US?"

"We need to get going. Like now!." Grimmjow didn't bother to look back at Ichigo as he took off for the kitchen. He didn't have time to hash it out with the young man over whether or not it was wise for him to use a grenade in such a small space. All he cared about at the moment was getting the hell out of the hospital before the rest of it came down on them.

They made their way through the kitchen and down into the sewer system below. Grimmjow had just closed the metal door that separated the boiler room of the hospital from the sewer system when the ceiling above began to shake and tremble. He had been on the ladder when the force from the exploding building shook him from the ladder falling backwards towards the hard ground. Ichigo tried to catch him but was unsuccessful. Ichigo landed on his back his arms still wrapped around Grimmjow. Rock and dirt began to rain down on their heads and Grimmjow turned his body around to face his friend. Ichigo threw his hands up to protect his own face, while the farmer rested his arms on either side of Ichigo's facing locking his gray fingerless gloved hands above the man's head. He then buried his own head into what he believed was the crook of Ichigo's neck. All the while praying that the walls and ceiling of the sewer system would hold up. He hadn't thought the bomb would have been that strong. Oh how wrong he had been.

As the last remnants of the tumbling building above shook the earth one last time. Grimmjow slowly pulled away. He stood up and then pulled out his lighter and a small lantern he had packed on the top part of his pack. Once the tiny flame flickered to life, the first thing he noticed was those warm chocolate brown eyes staring up at him.

"You okay?" Grimmjow asked.

Ichigo nodded his head. But Grimmjow could see the tremble in Ichigo's body. The young man's hands were shaking noticeably but the farmer thought it best to ignore that for the moment. Ichigo slowly rose to his feet and began walking in the direction he thought they were supposed to be heading.

The two men walked in silence and every now and again they would feel and hear the rumbling of the sewer ceiling from the Screechers walking above. Grimmjow let his thoughts wander for a moment as he let Ichigo continue to lead them.

_I guess I can let em' feel like he is in charge fer now._

He spoke in his mind.

_I kinda like it. Not being in da lead. No pressure._

He scoffed at that last part in his head, not realizing he did it out loud. Ichigo paused in his steps turning around to look at him. Grimmjow raised a blue eyebrow at him, and Ichigo turned back around continuing on their journey.

_Well someone's panties are in a wad._

He chuckled to himself. Ichigo stopped again and turned to look at the farmer scowl on face hands balled up at his sides.

"What the hell is so funny?" The young man with the orange hair snapped. Grimmjow raised the lantern so that it was dangling near his face.

"Nuttin." He grumbled out with a smirk.

"You think what you did up there was fucking funny?" Ichigo asked and Grimmjow shook his head. He really wasn't in the mood to have a conversation about what he did right or wrong. Blame could go around evenly in their duo, and right now he knew Ichigo wasn't prepared to play that game. So, he shook his head lowering the lantern he pushed pass his only friend and took the lead.

"We're gettin' close. Lets go." He spoke stuffing his left hand in his pocket, dipping his head inside his green tattered jacket. "There's a Wal-Mart right outside of town I wanna get to before night comes."

He continued walking and for a moment he didn't hear Ichigo's footsteps behind him and he almost thought about turning around to snap at his friend before he heard the familiar sounds of Ichigo's boots running to catch up with him.

When they finally surfaced it wasn't near the pizza restaurant but in the parking lot of a burned down grocery store. They were extremely exposed and Grimmjow could hear Ichigo take in a quivering breath.

"Iz okay Ichigo, those things are far from here." Grimmjow spoke blowing out the lantern. "After that blast at da hospital I'm more than sure majority of them are there." Ichigo nodded but he didn't speak. "Lez go." Grimmjow made a gesture with his head in the direction they would be heading and without a word his friend followed him.

He didn't like this awkward silence and worse more he could feel the tension in the air.

_No way he's mad at me after all da shit he put me through!_

Grimmjow turned to look back at Ichigo who was busy checking out their surroundings. He was still wearing a scowl on his face.

_Maybe he's just worried, scared we're gonna run into some Screechers._

He abandoned the thought deciding not to brood on it, what difference did it make. They would be some place safe soon enough and Ichigo couldn't stay mad at him forever after all they needed each other.

They walked in the bright sun for hours only stopping briefly to open some canned vienna sausage to eat while they walked and then again to eat canned green beans and of course to use the bathroom up against the side of a building. But as for communication there wasn't any.

Grimmjow was in a lot of pain his wounds had stop seeping on their own but they were aching tremendously, he began to walk with a noticeable limp and he would swear later that he felt a fever coming on. Ichigo was walking next to him he had his head lowered ducked inside that black windbreaker as the wind began to blow cool air on their bodies.

It was late November in Florida and as the day drew on it only got colder. They reached the Wal-Mart at dusk and surprisingly enough to both males they hadn't come across another Screecher even though they could be heard and felt in the distance.

Grimmjow was surprised he remembered where the Wal-Mart was he hadn't come across it in months not since he made his original journey down to Florida from Iowa.

He had spent a week in this particular Wal-Mart and from what he could remember even though it had been thoroughly ransacked it still had a sizable amount of food, liquids and medical goods for two people to live off of.

"Thank god iz still ere." Grimmjow said under his breath.

"What?" Ichigo spoke in disbelief his first word in hours. "You led us here not knowing if it would be here. What if it wasn't?"

Grimmjow shrugged his shoulders and for some reason that didn't sit well with the orange haired male.

"Have you lost your mind?" Ichigo's voice was normal he wasn't even trying to whisper.

"Have you lost yers?" Grimmjow asked quirking a slender blue eyebrow. Ichigo snapped his mouth closed and his breathing picked up considerably the farmer could see the steady rise and fall of the man's chest. "Go head pout don't care."

"Fuck you!" Ichigo snapped.

"Love to." Grimmjow snapped back unslinging his gun. He didn't bother to look back to see Ichigo's face. He knew he left the man speechless which was his intention. They walked to the front sliding doors and Grimmjow cupped a hand on the glass and brought his face close to the doors so that he could look inside. When he didn't see any signs of movement inside the Wal-Mart he turned his head placing his ear on the glass so that he could listen.

"You think they're inside?" Ichigo asked in a whisper coming back to his senses if only for a moment.

"Naw. Ya woulda drawn them out wit yo insistent yelling. Just making sure tho."

"Fu-" Ichigo began to say until Grimmjow whipped his head around to look at him with those big blue eyes of his and Ichigo bit down on his bottom lip. He gave the young man an animalistic grin before turning back towards those sliding glass doors.

"Hold dis Tiger." Grimmjow said handing Ichigo his weapon. The young man took it without a word. "Point it at da door. Anything move shoot." Ichigo gave a single nod Grimmjow could see from the corner of his eye. Grimmjow used his free hands to pry open the sliding doors. He remembered the doors being wide open when he first found the Wal-Mart but when he left he made sure to close them back, just in case he ever decided to return, he would know if someone was inside. But then again that was back when he believed people were still alive.

It took a lot of effort for Grimmjow to open the doors because he was still hurt, hungry thirsty and tired. But he did manage to get those doors open he walked inside the eerily quiet store closely trailed by his friend.

Grimmjow pulled his pack from his back and pulled out the lantern, the store was on dimly lit from the fading sun.

"Let's go to da back of da store." Grimmjow spoke pulling out his small hand gun from his back.

The store was very large and by the time they reached the camping section of the store both men had lowered their weapons coming to the conclusion they were truly alone.

"Ya hungry Tiger?" Grimmjow asked sitting down his pack, Ichigo laid down the military grade weapon on top of the farmer's tan pack and then placed his pink back pack down next to the small pile.

_I gotta get em' another pack_

Grimmjow's thought he couldn't help it, when it came to Ichigo he had to take care of him, he needed to keep him happy. Ichigo looked up at him, with a warm smile. If he had been angry he wasn't now.

"Yeah I kinda am." His voice was even. Grimmjow breathed an internal sigh of relief he didn't like being at odds with Ichigo.

_Note to self stay away from bombs Grimmjow._

"Grocery section dis way." Grimmjow pointed with his head. He began to walk towards the food section.

"I reeeally hope they're out of peaches." Ichigo said somewhere behind Grimmjow and the farmer chuckled.

"What you don't like peaches." The man clicked his tongue. "Don't ya know they are a delicacy in dis here parts." He heard Ichigo snort. The farmer stuffed his free hand in his pocket, the other hanging tightly to the lantern.

"Delicacy my ass." Ichigo commented.

"Oh come on now. Wasn't all dat bad. Ya know ya liked it when I fed em to ya." Grimmjow said playfully, and he could hear the young man groan beside him.

_Gotcha!_

"So what ya hoping ta find then Tiger?" Grimmjow asked even though he meant for the question to be rhetorical he hadn't actually thought Ichigo would answer. With the world completely destroyed it wasn't like they had many options for food.

"Peanut butter." Ichigo spoke practically under his breath.

"Really." Grimmjow's interest peaked. "Iz ya favorite?" Grimmjow asked. Ichigo had his head lowered both hands in the pockets of his black jeans. The young man shrugged his shoulders.

"Don't know. Just craving it is all." He said.

"Fair enough." Grimmjow answered. "I would kill for some Starbucks Coffee. Mmh Mmh." Grimmjow gave a shiver at the thought of the delicious brewed lattes and wonderfully tasting expressos.

"Really?" Ichigo said, turning his head sideways to look at his friend his face turned up in disbelief. "Really?" He asked again, Grimmjow nodded his head.

"Oh, what I would give for an Iced Caramel Macchiato." Grimmjow pulled his hand from his pocket and placed a hand over his heart licking his lips thinking about that little slice of heaven known as a coffee shop.

"Really?" Ichigo said again in astonishment, his faced turned up even more and he was practically craning his neck to the side nearly breaking his own neck.

"What?" Grimmjow finally asked looking at his friend in confusion. "What I say?"

"Starbucks?" That word sounded like a question, Grimmjow shrugged.

"What?" Grimmjow asked, he really didn't know what he said was so fantastical. What was wrong with him liking Starbucks.

"Your amazing." Ichigo finally said, and Grimmjow stopped dead in his tracks turning to look back at his friend. Was Ichigo being sarcastic. He narrowed his eyes holding the lantern up near his face so that he could get a clear view of Ichigo's features. The young man had his brown eyes affixed on Grimmjow and he looked so calm and relaxed he looked….happy.

"Why would you say that?" Grimmjow asked.

"Because it's true." Ichigo shrugged. "Out of all the shit you're able to do, all the shit I've seen you do. You still find a way to amaze me."

"All I said was that I like Starbucks." Grimmjow still unsure how that was considered amazing.

"And you like knitting, you like to recite children's story directly from memory, take care of a comatose patients, and not to long ago you proved to be somewhat of an explosives expert. So, tell me Is there anything you can't do, something you don't like?" Ichigo asked and it sounded genuine enough.

Grimmjow thought about the question. What can't he do, what doesn't he like?

_Well I don't like the Screechers, that's a given. I don't like..._

"I don't like that you can't remember anything. And that I can't help you." He finally concluded.

"Oh." Ichigo averted his gaze to the floor. "You have no idea how badly I wish I could remember me too." He said looking up at his friend. Grimmjow nodded his head and then slapped him on the shoulder.

"Let's go I'm hungry."

Ichigo didn't find any peanut butter, but he did find some month old saltines, a jar of Nutella (he had no idea what the shit was, but it looked like peanut butter in the jar). They also grabbed a bunch of junk food including cookies and chips a couple of cans of tuna, and a bottle of Pepsi.

"We need to take care of your wounds Blue." Ichigo said, he was currently working on his second package of double stuffed Oreos when he had noticed that Grimmjow's black shirt had a huge wet stain on it.

"Yeah I know, but after I eat." Grimmjow grumbled out. He was currently stuffing his face with tuna covered saltine crackers, one right after the other. It's funny how although he hadn't been a huge tuna fan before the invasion, it was now the most delicious thing to him on the planet.

After they finished eating, Ichigo set to work cleaning and dressing Grimmjow's wounds. He had wanted to do it himself but for some reason Ichigo was insistent on doing it. So, there he laid flat on his back arms folded behind his head, chest exposed. The black t-shirt which had been too small for Grimmjow in the first place had been thrown haphazardly on the floor.

Ichigo couldn't possibly understand what Grimmjow was feeling at the moment. As the young man's fingers worked delicately over the long claw marks on his midsection. He wasn't touching them directly, there was a peroxide doused gauze that separated his fingers from Grimmjow's chest but yet and still he couldn't help the fact that the thought of Ichigo touching him stirred emotions deep within his heart.

_Yesterday when he kissed me he awakened all these emotions I had buried deep down. Why did he do this to me?_

Grimmjow closed his eyes and tried to take his mind anywhere, he didn't want to be in that moment. Yes, his wounds ached, and yes the peroxide stung when it was first applied but that pain did nothing to quiet the images of Ichigo touching him in ways, that would surely set fire to his over sensitive skin. He couldn't stop the images of those slender soft hands working their way down...down...down. He groaned.

"What?" Ichigo's voice broke him away from his thoughts, and he found himself staring up into concerned brown eyes. "Did I do something wrong?" He asked, looking down at the farmer's midsection.

"No, just thinking." Grimmjow spoke. And Ichigo's brow immediately crinkled.

_Uh oh there's that scowl!_

Grimmjow thought.

"Shit! Don't do that you scared me." Ichigo's face softened after he snapped at his friend. "Anything I should know about?" The young man finally asked, he then started on redressing the wounds.

"Nothing ya don't already know about." Grimmjow said turning his head away from Ichigo's questioning gaze.

"There all done." Ichigo said with a clap of his hands, when he was finally done. When Grimmjow turned back to look at him, the young man was wearing a rather pleased expression on his face. No doubt proud of the work he had just done.

"Thanks." Grimmjow said hopping to his feet. "I'm gonna find a new shirt. Can ya find something for us to sleep on?" He then walked off before, Ichigo had time to agree with the request.

It took him no time to find a blue washed superman logo t-shirt in his size, and another gray henley to replace the one that had been ruined the day before. And as he was walking out of the men's section he remembered to grab a long sleeve shirt for Ichigo.

When he returned to Ichigo. The young man had found two double sized sleeping bags and a couple of small lanterns, flashlights, batteries and a black camping backpack. Grimmjow chuckled when he saw the young man transferring the contents of the pink bag to the new one.

"Here I got dis for ya Tiger." Grimmjow held out the black long sleeve shirt. "It can get kinda cold at night."

"Thanks Blue." The young man said taking the shirt.

The farmer was exhausted for sure and as he stepped out of his boots, for the first time in a long time, and shed his green tattered jacket. He found himself nuzzling down inside the sleeping bag and in no time he had drifted off to sleep.

He wish he could say it was a dreamless slumber but that would be a lie. It was that same dream that haunted him, off and on since the first wave. It was about the night he lost his mother and two sisters. He often relived that over and over in his dreams and tonight would be one of those nights.

When he woke up again his body felt heavy and tired and he was extremely groggy and disoriented. All he wanted was a few more minutes of sleep, and he could feel someone's warm hands roaming in his hair. Raking through his spiky blue locks.

"Gah, Can I get five more minutes Nel." Grimmjow spoke to his sister. She had her own special way for waking him up in the morning. Everyone else in the house would just yell into his room for him to wake up, but not Nel she loved to play in his hair sometimes she would go as far as hum silly little tunes.

"Who's Nel?" The voice was a cracked whisper but it brought Grimmjow back to his senses, his blue eyes shot open and his hand shot out to grab Ichigo by the wrist playing in his hair.

"What are you doing Ichigo?" Grimmjow spoke looking at the offending hand.

_Is he trying to drive me crazy._

The blue haired farmer thought to himself.

"It seemed to calm you down. I swear I was just trying to help you." Ichigo replied, he tried to jerk his arm free.

"Calm me?" Grimmjow questioned.

"You were having a nightmare. You wouldn't wake up when I tried to shake you, but when I touched the side of your face, you relaxed and I don't know the next thing I knew I was playing in your hair. I'm sorry." Ichigo sounded so wounded, so sad like he was guilty of the worse crime imaginable and it wasn't even his fault. Grimmjow released his friend and Ichigo immediately retracted his arm. "Who's Nel?" Ichigo asked once more, rubbing his wrist.

"My little sister." Grimmjow finally answered, turning on his back.

"Oh sorry."

"What ya apologizing fer, ya didn't do nothing." Grimmjow spoke.

"Yeah that time." Grimmjow turned his head to look at his friend. Ichigo was lying on his side looking over at him. He could faintly make out the man's features in the dark, but he could feel those brown eyes on him.

"Ichigo."

"Look I'm not stupid!" The young man let out a frustrated sigh. "It can't be easy for you dragging me around everywhere. I'm starting to wonder myself after the shit I pulled at the hospital. God I just keep fucking up!"

"Stop beating yourself up." Grimmjow reached over and caressed the side of his face. "Just yesterday ya found out those fuckers were real. It'll take time iz all. I know dat"

"We don't have time." Ichigo argued and Grimmjow chuckled at that.

"Time is all we have." Grimmjow retracted his hand. "I'll teach ya how ta survive don't worry."

"How can you be so calm about it, after I nearly got you killed several times in one day?"

Grimmjow pondered that question, it was reasonable and logical any sane person would have cut their losses by now. Hell during the second wave he saw people do just that to save their own asses.

"I just can't." Grimmjow finally said. "Even if my brain wanted to, my heart wouldn't let it."

"You care that much for me?" Ichigo asked, his voice an unsure whisper.

"I do."

Grimmjow felt an imaginary weight lift from his shoulders when he said those simple two words. He had no idea how his friend was going to interpret that but it was what it was. He could hear Ichigo moving around inside his sleeping bag, moving so that he was lying closer to him, lying right next to the farmer. And moments later he felt those slender hands on his chest touching and exploring him ever so lightly, those feather like touches worming their way up, until they found either side of his face.

"Tiger?" Grimmjow's voice was a rumbled quiver. "Please don't do something ya gonna regret."

He heard the young man next to him scoff. And to that he quirked a blue eyebrow.

"I think, I'm gonna kiss you again. You okay with that?"

"Depends, will ya mean it this time?"

"Who said I didn't mean it the last time?" Ichigo retorted, he cracked a half smile. When Grimmjow gave him a quizzical look.

"So, this is what you want?" Grimmjow had to be sure. He really couldn't go through another emotional roller coaster with Ichigo, not after such a short time since the last.

"That's what I'm saying. Buuut if you don't wan-" Ichigo began.

"Shut up." Grimmjow spoke grabbing Ichigo by the front of his shirt bringing him closer to him on the floor where Grimmjow rested. The farmer used his free hand to cup the back of Ichigo's head as their lips finally connected.

It all happened in a matter of seconds and it shocked Ichigo making the young man gasp. Grimmjow chuckled the sound reverberating through his body as he captured Ichigo's lips between his sharp front teeth. He nibbled them for only a second before deciding to explore the young man's mouth. His tongue darted from his own lips to invade Ichigo's awaiting mouth and the man tasted like chocolate Oreo's.

_So delicious._

Grimmjow thought and he couldn't help but to moan in pure delight. Their tongues touched and Ichigo moaned into it, tilting his head to the side to deepen their kiss. Grimmjow's body reacted before his mind could catch up with it. Wrapping his left arm around the young man's waist sitting up. Ichigo held on tight not wanting to break the much needed contact. Grimmjow grabbed Ichigo by his ass with both of his hands and he heard the man moan as his body jerked forward toward's the farmer. Reluctantly Grimmjow pulled away and he heard Ichigo grunt in protest.

"No!" Ichigo's words came out in a breathy moan as he grabbed the back of Grimmjow's head, bringing their lips together once more. Ichigo was pulling away the sleeping bag that separated him from Grimmjow.

_He's hungry. Jesus! Does he know what he's doing to me?_

"Here." Grimmjow said between, Ichigo's assault on his lips. "On...my...Ahh...lap!" Grimmjow began to say but Ichigo straddled his lap and began grinding down into the farmer's clothed erection before he could even complete his sentence.

His arms wrapped around Grimmjow's neck, and he released the farmer's lips, he rested his forehead on Grimmjow's as his hips continued to work slow forceful circles down on Grimmjow's lap.

The heat that was suppose to pool in the pit of his stomach skipped that step and went straight to a raging fucking fire, as his cock was all but begging to be freed from his constraining jeans. Of course he would be overly sensitive what man wouldn't be it had been so long since he was with another human in this way.

The friction Ichigo was creating was delight, and he the farmer was praying the young man knew what he had started.

Grimmjow's head fell back as he dug his nails into Ichigo's sides. The young man in question began to attack the farmer's adam's apple and Grimmjow couldn't help the shameful moans that were escaping his lips.

"God listen to you so fucking sexy, and I haven't even pulled your dick out yet." Ichigo chuckled at his own words into Grimmjow's neck.

"You little shit!" Grimmjow said playfully, he wasn't mad not in the slightest, in fact he liked to hear Ichigo talk like that. It meant his little Tiger was coming back. The farmer grabbed the back of Ichigo's head taking in a handful of orange locks within his grasp, Ichigo's hips stop moving much to Grimmjow's dismay.

"Oh hey now!" Ichigo smirked, at the sudden change in demeanor.

"You know what ya asking fer?" Grimmjow questioned. He just had to be sure, before they went down a road there was no turning back from.

"I do. Are you ready to give it."

_Holy shit! He's gonna be the death of me._

He thought as Ichigo laughed.

"I hope ya like it rough?" He asked hoping to get the man's attention, and he did. Because Ichigo stop laughing and stared down at him. Grimmjow grab the hem of Ichigo's shirt and started to pull it up over his head. "Why ya stop laughing? Cat got ya tongue?" Grimmjow grabbed Ichigo around his waist and hoisted him up so that he could lie the man flat on his back.

The farmer knelt on his knees looking down on his former charge, he bent down using one hand to undo the button of those black skinny jeans.

"Second thoughts Tiger?" The farmer asked and Ichigo shook his head. "Tell me what ya thinking." Ichigo gave a half smile and sat up once his pants had been completely undone. He pulled Grimmjow's shirt over his head.

"I was just thinking that I must have been gay in my past life. Because-"

Ichigo didn't finish his sentence because a loud crash in the front of the store drew their attention. It sound as if someone knocked into a display case and knocked all the contents on the floor. Which was unusual because the only two people in existence could do that were currently wrapped up in each other's arms.

"Grimmjow what-"

"Shh Ichi!" He didn't want to do it, but he pushed Ichigo away from his lap and made a mad grab for his gun.

"Blue!" Ichigo's voice was nothing more than a whisper. "What is that?"

"Be quiet Ichigo!" Grimmjow snapped once more. He knew it wasn't logical for it to be Screechers. Nothing about those damn things said quiet. They would have at least felt those things walking. Grimmjow cocked his weapon, chambering a round. "Stay close to me." Grimmjow spoke as Ichigo picked up a lantern.

They slowly made their way to the front of the store and when they were about half way there they both heard the same sound that had them stopping dead in their tracks.

No it wasn't the sounds of another set of footsteps, that drew their attention, or the sight of a dancing light on the linoleum floor and it surely wasn't the sight of two pair of human eyes staring back at them. It was the sound of another human voice that didn't belong to neither Grimmjow or Ichigo.

"Skee Wee! Renji look what we got ear mo' Ew'mons!"

* * *

><p>AN:Thanks Kylah you know why.


	8. New Beginnings

_Would you like to join my mindset? Of course you do. Listen to Goodbye Apathy-OneRepublic_

Chapter 8 New Beginnings

The words spoken by the new human were the only words spoken for a long while. It was silent in that Walmart you wouldn't have heard a pin drop. Grimmjow didn't want to get his hopes up though. Of course he knew he wasn't dreaming that wasn't the problem. The problem was he remembered all to well how people behaved after the second wave and to put it bluntly generally nice people became cruel, selfish and downright vicious.

But humans were rare, teetering on the line of extinction, they needed to ban together if for only one reason, the survival of their kind. Grimmjow swallowed the uneasy lump in his throat and cast his glare on the one that had spoken. He studied the man intently. Could he be trusted?

This man didn't look worse for wear. He had on hunting gear from what Grimmjow could see in the darkness. His pants and jackets matched a camouflage of the forest, if they had been in a forest. Underneath the hunting jacket he wore a loose tan shirt which was untucked. The man had shiny long blonde hair that he wore in a low pony-tail. He was currently looking at Grimmjow with eagerness as he flashed the blue haired farmer a grin that nearly showed all the teeth in his mouth. And Grimmjow couldn't help but to recoil, he didn't know what that smile meant and truthfully it was creeping him the fuck out.

"Friend or foe?" Grimmjow finally spoke.

_Doesn't matter how he responds I'll still have to keep a watchful eye. But then again this Walmart is big enough for the four of us._

"Definitely Friend." The one Grimmjow come to suspect as Renji spoke. He was wearing a similar outfit to his blonde haired friend. He gave a heads up nod. And the semi-automatic weapon he had been holding at low ready he took the time to lower to his side and with one hand up in the air he'd slowly placed the weapon on the floor. "Ya have no ideer how long we been trav'lin…." There was a pause from the red head named Renji and the next words that flowed from his lips hiccuped sadness, disbelief and relief all in one. "Alone."

That hit home for Grimmjow he'd known that feeling all to well. The sadness of being alone, the despair of possibly going on without another companion to share your thoughts and fears. Yes, he could sympathize with Renji's sadness. Grimmjow gave Renji a nod of understanding. The young man who was sporting his own spiky red pony tail turned to look at his friend, who was still beaming like a fucking idiot. And it was then in that moment Grimmjow realized the smile of the blonde for what it truly was. The man was utterly stupidly happy. He had no underlining ulterior motive. He wasn't smiling at Grimmjow to fake him out, to gain his trust so that he could stab him in the back later. The farmer completely understood the blonde now because he knew that happiness. He may have only felt it one other time in his life but he would never forget how it felt, how he felt the day he had stumbled upon a comatosed Ichigo.

"Dis ere' is my very best friend in da hole wide world Shinji." The red head said throwing his arm around the blonde.

"Nice ta meet ya." The blonde said giving Grimmjow and Ichigo a two finger salute, still smiling brightly.

Grimmjow really didn't have second thoughts now when he finally decided to lower his weapon. He heard Ichigo take in a sharp breath behind him and he turned to look at his best friend.

"It's okay Tiger." He smiled at Ichigo who in turn scowled at him. Grimmjow turned back to the newcomers putting an around Ichigo and bringing him close. "I'm Grimmjow and this here is-" He paused well jeez so much had happen in the past few minutes hell in a past few days what was Ichigo to him now.

The line that had so clearly defined their friendship before was now becoming hazed as time slowly ticked by. Grimmjow looked down at Ichigo who was looking back at him fairly confused. "This is Ichigo." Grimmjow finally said it came out so flat, so plain, and yet slightly confused as if the owner of the words didn't believe them at all. And this caught the farmer off guard and from the expression on Ichigo's face it didn't sit to well with him how Grimmjow had introduced him.

"Skee Wee!" Shinji half hollared and Grimmjow couldn't help but bark laughter.

"What the Hell!" Grimmjow said between chuckles.

"Ah don't mind Shin, dat's jus his way a not swear'n and all." Said Renji. "Skee Wee means Hole-E Shit!" The young man picked his weapon up making sure to keep his other hand held up in a surrendered like fashion he didn't want Grimmjow getting the wrong idea. The young man began walking towards them with his hand now outstretched in front of him in a gestured that said he wanted to shake hands with them.

Grimmjow flashed a feral smile and with his weapon in his left hand at his side he extended his right hand to shake Renji's.

"What are you doing Blue?" Ichigo's hand shot out and grabbed Grimmjow by the elbow of his extended arm and the farmer looked back at him questionably.

"What does it look like, I'm gonna shake the hand of our new friends." Grimmjow pulled away from Ichigo's grasp. He could understand why the young man was hesitant. His face was still fixed into that scowl but his brown eyes looked as though they were pleading with him. "Tiger ya gotta be more lenient these days in picking you friends specially since ya ain't got to many choices. Trust me when I say it's possible ta get too lonely and ya don't want ta know what dat's like."

Ichigo looked taken back by that statement but Grimmjow didn't stay to mull it over. He walked over towards Renji and shook the red head's dry and calloused hand.

"Hot dog! I gotta say dis is nicer than Aunt Lou-Lou in a two piece bikini." Shinji said when it was his turn to shake Grimmjow's hand. This comment earned him a sideways glance from the farmer as he eagerly shook his hand.

"Yer a weird one aren't ya?" Grimmjow asked when an overly excited Shinji released his hand.

"Ya have no ideer my friend no ideer at all." Renji said clapping his hand. "Ser iz Ichigo right." He said extended his hand out to Ichigo who was still standing in the spot Grimmjow had left him. But now his arms were folded over his chest, scowl on his face and bottom lip poked out.

_Jeez what the fuck Tiger!_

Grimmjow thought in his mind, when Ichigo didn't say anything or make any attempt to acknowledge Renji but the new guy wasn't going to give up that easy.

"Ya know dat's a real cool name ya got dare partner. I've only heard it one utter time."

"Skee Wee! Ren ya sho is right! I knows dat name sounded familiars." Shinji jumped in. His eyes were gleaming.

"You two know who Ichigo is?" Grimmjow felt his spirits lift high, higher than they had been in a long while. Could it be true did the two newbies know Ichigo. Grimmjow watched Shinji and Renji walk over to Ichigo and stare at the young man, who was all but looking at them in disgust.

"You guys gotta excuse my friend, he's kinda new to dis world so ta speak." Grimmjow offered in apology for Ichigo's behavior.

"I don't need you to make excuses for me Blue." Ichigo finally spoke up and then he slapped Shinji's hand away when the young man reached up to brush Ichigo's long orange bangs out of his eyes.

"Well take those knickers outta da bunch. I was jus tryna get a betta look at ya." Shinji spoke defensively. "Ya know Ren he ain't dat guy, because dat guy was waaaay nicer." Renji didn't speak he just nodded in agreement.

"Nah we don't know em." Renji said to Grimmjow not Ichigo.

"Like I said he's kinda new to this world." Grimmjow wanted to pull Ichigo off to the side and figure out why he was acting so strangely. He tried to think back to when the young man had woken up from his coma.

_Did he treat me this poorly?_

He questioned in his own mind but before he could explore that line of thought further, Renji began to speak.

"Hey ya know where Shin and I can get some food round ere?" Although the red head was standing right next to Ichigo he knew better than to ask the untrusting young man for help.

"Sure do." Grimmjow piped up in no time. "Follow me." Grimmjow led the way to the food section in the store. He noticed Ichigo turning away and walking back in the direction of where they had camped out in the store.

_Well if he was worried about Shinji and Renji being untrustworthy he must not care if they kill me. Fuck! I hope I'm wrong. But if it's not trust then what is it. Damn it Tiger._

"Hey ya know iz been about what Shin- Fo months since we been round live ew'mons." Renji cleared his throat and then began to speak more articulately. "live humans." Grimmjow nodded. "It's okay ya kno. We're not offended by yer friend, shit people couldn't be trusted after dat second wave."

"Yeah I know." Grimmjow agreed with Renji and he could see to his left Shinji nodding his head in agreement. He really hoped that he wasn't wrong about the two men, it would be nice to have more people around to share the load, to share the heavy burden of survival. "But he doesn't remember da last wave, he has amnesia."

"Oh." Both Renji and Shinji spoke in unison. "None of it?" They asked together. Grimmjow shook his head solemnly.

"None of it." He finally replied after a pause.

"Skee wee! Dat sux musty monkey balls." Shinji said digging his hands into the pockets of his hunting pants he was looking down at the linoleum floor. Grimmjow looked at Shinji sideways slightly perplexed, he even reached up and scratched the side of his head. His attention was drawn when Renji to his right suddenly threw his arm around his neck.

"Don't try ta understand Shin, it'll only confuse ya mo."

"Duly noted." Grimmjow replied.

* * *

><p>Two days later Grimmjow found himself on his back his arms folded behind his head as Ichigo cleaned and dressed his wounds again. Ichigo cleaned his wounds at least three times a day but for some reason they still looked as bad as they did the day he received them and now to add on to the drama he didn't need he was burning up with fever. According to the thermometer he had reached a cool 100 degrees Fahrenheit that morning. The farmer was finding it harder to move as time slipped pass. And the hot and cold chills had him shivering one minute and sweating profusely the next. Ichigo was beyond worried as he should be things weren't looking to good for the farmer.<p>

"Blue." Ichigo called down to him, he was sitting back on his legs, his mouth turned up. They still hadn't addressed the elephant in the room, you know the one that looked an awful like the two nearly having sex two nights before.

"Hmm Tiger." Grimmjow had to strain to get that out, he was weakening by the moment.

"Tell me what to do." Ichigo sounded like he was pleading, he sounded like he was at the end of his rope and he more than likely was.

Grimmjow knew he had caught an infection and since the Walmart pharmacy had been thoroughly raided of all the good stuff he was more than likely going to die from it. But he didn't have the heart to tell Ichigo.

"Water." Grimmjow grumbled out and his friend scrambled away. Grimmjow stared up at the ceiling of the store. He couldn't really see it even though it was the middle of the day it was still was dark in the back of the store. He wondered if he would be able to get Ichigo to take him outside the store so he could feel the cool breeze of the day on his face and possibly see the sun one last time. But how was he supposed to do that without making it sound like a final request.

Before he could ponder the thought a little longer Ichigo had returned with a water bottle. He felt Ichigo's hand cup the back of his head and lift it up so that he could effectively drink from the bottle. The water wasn't cold but to his 100 degree body it felt freezing cold going down his throat.

"What else Blue?" Ichigo asked after Grimmjow finished drinking.

"Rest." He grumbled out he was tired and he knew as sick as he was, sleeping wouldn't be smart for all he knew if he closed his eyes he may never open them again.

_Calm down Grimmjow, don't be stupid you're not that close to deaths door. Besides when you worry he worries._

He told himself. He closed his eyes and began to wonder where Renji and Shinji had run off to. When both he and Ichigo had woken up that morning the two men had vanished from the store.

He had thought that they had formed a bond with the two men. Of course they never made it official with one person saying….

"Hey how about we ban together."

But Grimmjow sure thought it was implied. Hell for all they knew they were the last of their kind why wouldn't they band together. But then there was Ichigo's piss poor attitude. He hadn't warmed up to the two hunters at all. If anything he had only became colder towards them.

The sad thing was Renji and Shinji did everything to make Ichigo feel comfortable around them. They even offered to train him on fighting and killing the Screechers. This had made Grimmjow so happy, he was good at killing them and surviving but he was no Renji and Shinji.

These two males had grown up hunting in the back woods and swamps of Louisiana and when they became of age they had joined the U.S army delta forces as bomb specialists. Yes Grimmjow could teach Ichigo but he knew that Renji and Shinji would be better at it than he. But Ichigo told them to shove their training far up their asses he wanted nothing to do with them.

"Jesus Ichigo! What the fuck they're just trying to help." Grimmjow remembered saying to his friend.

"Fuck their help and fuck them!" Ichigo had snapped back with the most determined look on his face. "We don't need them."

"No, but they're pretty handy to have around don't ya think?" Grimmjow asked.

"No." Ichigo began to scowl so Grimmjow dropped the topic.

_He definitely wasn't that cruel to me._

The farmer finally drifted off and he was visited by his recurring nightmare. The night his mother and two sisters died. He woke with a start to find Ichigo wiping the sweat from his face and neck with a wet cloth.

"You were dreaming again Blue."

"Water." Grimmjow grumbled out and he was rewarded with the water bottle to his lips. His throat felt like it had been stuffed with cotton balls and the inside of his mouth was just as bone dry.

"You're at 101 Grimmjow." Ichigo finally said resting Grimmjow's head down on what had to be a soft pillow. When had he found that? The young man with orange hair held grabbed his face in his hands and bent down to look the farmer in the eyes.

Grimmjow couldn't speak, didn't want to speak he knew his fever had gone up. His body felt like it was on fire. He nodded that he understood. Ichigo kissed him on the lips, it was short and soft and for the life of him he had so wished that he had enough energy to return the affection.

"I'm sca-" Ichigo began to say but was abruptly cut off when laughter could be heard coming in their direction. Renji and Shinji were back and then Grimmjow heard something that had him crinkling his brow. Ichigo had turned in the direction of Renji's and Shinji's voice and started to growl in annoyance.

"Why couldn't those hillbillies stay gone."

"Stop!" Grimmjow snapped and Ichigo's head whipped around and his brown eyes were wide with shock and then they drooped. Grimmjow had hurt his feelings. "Nothing buh nice." He breathed out. He didn't have the energy to form proper sentences. "All ya ave'." He tried to say. But Ichigo understood him.

"No I still got you, I don't need them." The young man snapped, and to this Grimmjow shook his head. He was going to die soon and if Ichigo wasn't nicer to Renji and Shinji he would be left alone. He didn't want Ichigo to be alone.

"Heeey yall." Renji called out. "Sorry took us so long ta get back, but we had ta fry us up a couple lizards. Those summa bitches are out ta day fer some reason."

"I wish you would have gotten eaten." Ichigo mumbled under his breath luckily Renji nor Shinji heard him but Grimmjow did loud and clear.

"Stop!" He breathed out again but this time it was followed by a long drawn out strained cough.

"What ya say Ichi?" Shinji asked as he got down on his haunches next to Ichigo by Grimmjow. Renji took a place on the opposite side of the farmer.

"Nothing and don't call me Ichi." Ichigo spoke through gritted teeth.

"A'ight." Shinji said throwing up his hands defensively.

"Look what we got ya Blue." Shinji had turned his attention to Grimmjow who was now staring up at him. The blonde was smiling from ear to ear flashing all his teeth. Grimmjow's eyes flashed over to Ichigo who had bowed his head and was grinding his teeth. He had his hands balled up in fists in his lap.

_Oh fuck!_

Grimmjow thought and before he could tell Shinji not to call him Blue. The young man pulled out a plastic bag and dangled it high above his head.

"Dis morn when we woke, we checked ya ova; Ren and I. Befo dis one ere' could stop us. Ya know he stalks ya like a volture stalking dead deer." Shinji jabbed a finger in Ichigo's direction. "But any who, we notice ya tempa-cha went up soooooo-"

"We jumped in our truck and skid daddled down da way to a hospital we passed on the way in ta town." Renji jumped in.

_Wait truck._

Grimmjow thought and Ichigo's head popped up he heard truck too.

"Imagine our shock, ta find it had been blown up. Any who." Renji shrugged, "We went a little furder and till we found a small clinic and then Ta-Da!" Renji held out his hands in Shinji's direction and began wiggling his fingers.

"Skee Wee! Antied-Bi-O-Tics!" Shinji spoke in his heavy accent. Grimmjow mustered a smiled.

"You found medicine for Blue?" Ichigo asked Shinji in disbelief.

"O course." Shinji said lowering the bag and pulling out the contents one by one. "We nat gon let our new friends die from lil bugs. We can't make it dat easy fo da lizards." Shinji gave a solid nod to Ichigo and then flashed that toothy grin. And for the first time since Renji and Shinji got to the Walmart, Ichigo chuckled and then smiled.

"No I guess not." He finally said.

Renji was the one to administer the shot to Grimmjow since Ichigo was afraid he would do it wrong and according to Shinji shots gave him the willies. An hour later Grimmjow would have sworn his temperature had dropped. He wasn't allowed to fall asleep thought because Renji wasn't sure how Grimmjow was going to react to the shot.

Grimmjow didn't say much as he laid there helplessly. He wanted to give Ichigo the time to bond with the two hunters. Just in case the medicine didn't work out for him and he did actually die.

Shinji had just finished telling Ichigo the story of how his uncle Ray Ray had lost a bet to he and Renji and had to dance in a kiddie pool at a family Bar-B-Que in a woman's two pink piece polka dot bikini while singing the Macarena into a pickle. Ichigo had fallen out laughing when Renji stood up and began mimicking the dance Uncle Ray Ray had did.

"You guys have a truck?" Ichigo asked when Renji finally sat back down.

"We sho do Ichi." Shinji said slapping Ichigo on the back rather forcefully making the young man cough up the Oreo he had placed in his mouth. "Oh sorry bout dat."

"What ya two ain't trying ta go all da way up ta South-Da-Kotiss on foot are ya?" Renji asked and Ichigo looked at him questionably. Renji looked down at Grimmjow who looking at him just as confused.

"Ya don't know?" Shinji asked.

"Know what?" Ichigo asked looking from Shinji to Renji to Grimmjow.

"About the City of Selrach." Renji said. Both Ichigo and Grimmjow shook their heads.

"Iz a underground city for surviving ew'mons. We were all told ta go dare. It was da last broadcast befo the world went dark. Ya didn't hear it." Shinji asked.

Grimmjow eyes teared up as his mind carried him back to the moments right before the world went dark. He had been hiding in the backseat of a pickup truck, peering through the mud stained window. The radio had been on but it had been so low he couldn't hear not a word the announcer was saying, not that he was paying much attention to it in the first place. Because at that particular moment he had been too busy watching helplessly as his father was eaten by a Screecher in full body armor.

"No Shinji." Grimmjow finally spoke his words were strained, he was still functioning on little energy. "I didn't hear it."


	9. The thing about love is

**WARNING: THERE IS A LEMON IN THIS CHAPTER!**

_Would you like to join my mindset? Well alriiight. For your love-Tevin Campbell_

Chapter 9 The Thing about love is….

"So are we thinking about going with them Blue?" Ichigo asked Grimmjow, who'd shifted so that he could lie his head in Ichigo's lap. The sudden change in their positions stunned Ichigo. But after a moment he relaxed and started running his fingers through Grimmjow's messy light blue locks.

"I'm thinking nut'ins really changed; where you go I go." Grimmjow looked up into Ichigo's brown eyes and the young man could tell the farmer was leaving the final decision of whether or not they should go, up to him.

Ichigo lowered his head and closed his eyes and began to weigh their options he wanted more than anything to make the right decision. The farmer reached up with a shaky hand and brushed the long orange locks out of his eyes.

"Tell me what ya thinking Tiger." Grimmjow spoke again. Ichigo felt a warm sensation wash over his body. Just two days ago he had practically been dismissed by Grimmjow and now with Renji and Shinji looking on, he was caressing the side of Ichigo's face with his thumb, he couldn't help the stupid smile that captured his face at the thought.

"If this place is safe and you don't have to worry about being responsible for me anymore I say we should go." Ichigo responded without another thought.

"Well Alriiiight." Grimmjow responded and his hand snaked around cupping the back of Ichigo's head and before he realized what was really going on. He had the farmer's lips pressed firmly against his. It shocked him for some reason and as the alarms begin to ring in the back of his mind. He felt exposed knowing that the two hunters were looking at them intently. But then he had another thought.

_To hell with it…._

He threw caution to the wind and melted into the kiss. He wanted to explore Grimmjow's mouth and just when that thought popped into his head, he felt the farmer's warm wet tongue tracing the line separating his lips. Ichigo couldn't help the sensation that ripped through his body reawakening a need that had been silenced and shut down at the arrival of Renji and Shinji. So when he moaned it came out slightly animalistic and needy, no doubt he had desires for Grimmjow that would not be considered normal if he were indeed a heterosexual male.

"Awww Ren iz jus so mag-macal." Shinji's said his voice could be heard but to Ichigo it sounded so distant as he began to give way to his urges and desires.

"Magick naw, ya know I doan go for the mushy shit, now iz it makin me horny? Why Hell yes it is!" Renji's words surprised Ichigo but he hadn't really processed what the man had said until Grimmjow abruptly pulled away from him.

"Uhm Renji?" Those two words sounded so loaded coming from Grimmjow.

"Yes luva boy." Renji answered wiggling his eyebrows up and down. "Doan stop on my account. By all means continya."

"Skee Wee! Dat was hotter dan a Jalepenos Gecky!" Shinji was doing that weird grin again. Ichigo started to ask what the hell was a Gecky, but before he could ask Grimmjow started to speak.

"How do I ask this?" Grimmjow shifted so that he could sit up straight. He still felt warm to Ichigo's touch, meaning his fever hadn't broke, but since the man, who could barely move only a couple of hours ago had just enthusiastically kissed him back, he had to be feeling a lot better.

"This." Grimmjow wagged an index finger between he and Ichigo. Signally that the 'this' he had been referring to was the two of them. "Rocks your socks."

"Both uh ours" Shinji answered for Renji. He had been sitting indian style on the floor but then he switched positions so that he could lie on his belly. He had his legs up and his feet began knocking each other as he cradled his head between his hands. "Oh doan stop, iz been ages since Ren and I saw sa' good poan tagether."

Ichigo blinked a few times to try to clear his mind of the lust and disbelief. He scratched the side of his head.

"Don't get offended when I say this but I don't want you guys watching us have sex." He left out the part about it being his and Grimmjow's first time on purpose. Renji and Shinji were still on a need to know basis as far as he was concerned. Ichigo stood up. Yes, he was horny, but something about Renji and Shinji getting their kicks from watching him didn't seem to sit to well with him. The young man shook his body like a wet dog trying to get dry.

_Shit!_

He thought he was hot under the collar so to speak, and the feeling wasn't going away.

"Damitt Shin ya big mouf." Renji chastised. "Oof" Renji grabbed his gut when his friend punched him in it.

"It waz int me, ya all ways think wit ya mag-jick stick and not wit ya braenz." Shinji sat up and was now wrestling with Renji on the floor. But at the moment Ichigo could careless about the two.

Ichigo started blocking all other stimulation sitting back down his leg out stretched he closed his eyes and steadied his breathing.

_Aliens, hillbillies, peaches. Aliens, hillbillies peaches. Aliens, hillbillies peaches._

He thought trying to get his mind off his growing desire for the farmer sitting no less than two feet away from him. When he opened his eyes Renji and Shinji had stop fighting, but he also noticed that now Shinji was sitting indian style with Renji's head in his lap. They were engrossed in conversation. Grimmjow had propped himself up against an empty shelving not to far from them and his eyes were closed.

"I neva gave two shakes an uh shit bout what utters taught." Shinji began to speak drawing both Grimmjow and Ichigo's attention. He was no doubt talking to them but he was looking down at Renji. "I all wade known I lika da boys, Ren ere' denied it till we were teen-agers." Renji started laughing lightly one hand resting on his stomach while he cuffed the other over his mouth.

"I tell ya dis doggie neva chased a cat, but I neva turned down a free piece a gecky either." Renji said with another chuckle and then Ichigo had a thought.

_I'm thinking Gecky is their term for female parts._

He shook his head and smirked at the two hunters. Those two were definitely a lively pair.

"Whew I would milk a cow dry." Renji began sucking his teeth. "There wasn't a ho-ho my twinkie didn't like. My italian sausage always loved a good pizza gecky. My python neva met a-"

"Okay Renji!" Shinji snapped and the other hunter abruptly closed his mouth shut. But he was still smiling up at the ceiling no doubt remembering his younger years. Shinji sighed and shook his head before he continued.

"Any way afta we joined up tagether and got shipped out to our firz black ops misshun Ren ere' realized his feeling fer me went a lot deeper dan dee average brother bond. He said to me, Shin." Shinji had the widest smile on his face possibly bigger than the one he had the day they met him. "I nearly got muh nuts blown off taday and in da chaos I realized sum'tin. I love ya and I think I always av' yer more den my best friend yer my utter half and I reckon I doan wanna go a nutter day without knowing what if feels like ta be balls deep in ya." Renji began to laugh out loud as Shinji smiled down at him. Ichigo looked over at Grimmjow who was smiling and shaking his head. And he would've sworn the man mouthed the words.

"They're fucking crazy." Ichigo smiled and turned back to look at the hunters. Shinji looked up at them smiling as he continued to speak.

"Ah it was da sweetest thing any bah-day has eva said ta me and we been tagether eva since." The man with the blonde hair grew sad as a thought dawned on him. Grimmjow and Ichigo didn't have to wait long to hear what Shinji was thinking. "Dat was til da aliens showed up."

"The aliens separated you?" Grimmjow questioned taking the words right out of Ichigo's mouth. Renji answered his question.

"We both ave dis thing for NASCAR. Hell our whole family does. So when Uncle Ray Ray snagged a couple of tickets for da Daytona 500 we jumped at da oppatunity." Renji was now talking and sitting up. He wrapped an arm lazily around Shinji who leaned into the embrace. "I was stuck doing milla-tree training so I couldn't go when Shin did." Renji was smiling at them but Ichigo could see it was strained. "I shoulda went AWOL fer em'."

"A now, how were ya posed ta know Aliens were gonna come take ova da planet." Shinji looked at his lover sternly. "Ya came fer me dat's all dat really matters."

"You were stuck here in Florida, while Renji was where?" Grimmjow asked.

"Wash-shon-tone." Renji replied.

"DC?" Grimmjow asked to clarify.

"No da state." Renji corrected.

"You came from Washington state to Florida?" Ichigo's was slightly shocked and impressed all at the same time and he'd finished his sentence with his mouth hanging open.

"Befo da world went dark I talked ta Shinji, told em ta stay put dat I was coming for em." Renji was smiling again. "It took me nearly ten months ta get here and I had a lotta close calls wit da lizards, but I do it a'gin."

"Without a second thought." Grimmjow said out loud. He looked like he was half talking to Renji and half deep in thought. And then his blue eyes cut to Ichigo. "Yeah I think I can understand ya a lil Renji."

"You barely know me." Ichigo said he was reacting to the pang he felt in his chest and for someone reason he felt nervous and scared about what those simple words could possibly mean.

He repositioned himself to sit next to the farmer his head resting on the same metal shelving. Looking out into the distance. Grimmjow looked exhausted and Ichigo began to wonder if his temperature had gone down any further or if it had spiked again. "Come closer I like your body heat near mine." The farmer said breaking the young man from his thoughts. Ichigo looked at his friend sideways two days before the man had been so nonchalant in his introduction and now this. He didn't ponder that train of thought any further he was getting tired so he scooted closer. Grimmjow raised his arm and put it around Ichigo's shoulders. The smaller male ducked his head under his former caretakers chin, while the man rested his head on the top of his orange head.

"Ya know I probably should be the one holding you. Since your the sickly one and all." Ichigo said with a nervous chuckle.

"Tsk. Fuck da details." Grimmjow grumbled out. Ichigo could hear the smile in those words. The farmer's breathing was deep and even as if he was falling asleep. Ichigo placed a hand over his heart and watched the steady rise and fall of the now flawed chest.

"How long ya two known ee' chutter?" Shinji asked from his place across the way, killing the silence that had filled the air.

"A little over a month I guess." Grimmjow replied. Ichigo raised his head so that he could look at Shinji.

"He's been with me for seven months." He looked back at Grimmjow, the farmer had down played their connection and Ichigo wanted the two hunters to know the real truth, the reason why Ichigo was still alive. "But I was in a coma for six of them. He took care of me until I woke up."

"Daaamn!" Both Renji and Shinji said in awe at the same time. They shared a silent moment before the blonde turned back towards them.

"So mag-macal!" Shinji said again, a big grin on his face that was until Renji lightly slapped his chin and his face fell just long enough so he could flick the tip of Renji's nose hard. Then he was all smiles again as his friend groaned and grabbed at his face. "So how long ave' ya been a duo?"

Ichigo felt Grimmjow tense at the inquiry and he was starting to hate the break down of communication they were having at the moment. He knew Grimmjow had feelings for him, so why was he having issues every time one of the hunters asked him what Ichigo had meant to him.

The young man with the orange hair sat up and Grimmjow's arm dropped from his shoulders and wrapped around his waist. Ichigo decided to answer the question posed to them.

"Well we were trying to figure that out two days ago when you two showed up." Shinji raised an eyebrow, and Renji turned over on his side to face them, his head back in Shinji's lap.

"Well Skee Wee! Doan let us stop ya. Go ons." Shinji made a shooing gestured with his hands.

_This is awkward._

Ichigo thought to himself. He turned to look at Grimmjow who was laughing into his right fist. He could feel his temper rising but then when Grimmjow's shoulders began to shake he felt his anger dissolve.

"Really Blue?" Ichigo questioned, there was no venom in his words and he said them almost playfully. The farmer stopped laughing and tilted his head to the side his left eyebrow raised.

"Ya already know how I feel. The only one putting the breaks on is you." Grimmjow dropped his hand and rested his head on the shelf, looking up at the ceiling. "Ya either want me or ya don't is dat simple."

Ichigo opened his mouth to speak but before the words could form.

"Woah Woah. Doan ya dare ants sa dat." Shinji spoke.

"Ouch Shin!" Renji yelled as Shinji all but shoved him from his lap. The man with the blonde hair stood up and walked over to the two men sitting near the shelving.

"Listen ere' Blue if ya want dis guy ya gotta be mo romantic den dat. Jeez!" Shinji was standing over them he had one hand on his hip and the other pointing down towards them. "Possom's dick try dat again and put mo feeling in to it." Shinji was making odd gestures with his hands as he spoke, his face was serious and he looked like he meant every word of what he said.

"I thought you didn't swear?" Grimmjow said and he was taking back when Shinji snapped his fingers at him, his brown eyes narrowing he meant business. "Look I did all dis with him already." Grimmjow defended himself his hands thrown up in a surrender like fashion.

"Look I didn't wanna be blunt wit ya. But odd-vis-lee da gator's crap did'n work da last time ya tried it. Cuz you got bout much charm as a dead rattle snake. " He snapped his fingers again. "Now try 'gin cuz Ichi ere' wants to be woo'd right Ichi."

"Well-" Ichigo began, but he was cut off by Shinji.

"Hot Dog ya do!"

"Shinji stay outta dare busy ness." Renji snapped he was lying on his back one leg propped up and his hands behind his head. Shinji opened his mouth to speak, but Ichigo's low voice stopped him.

"I may not remember much, but somehow I get this nagging feeling that I really don't want to. Like if I remembered my past I would be opening Pandora's box itself."

Shinji quirked an eyebrow, but he didn't say anything, instead he took the moment to back away. Grimmjow had brought his knees up and his arms dangled from them. His head still rested on the shelves but he had his head turned towards Ichigo.

"I remember the saying you don't know what you got til it's gone." Ichigo chuckled nervously. "I guess amnesia is funny that way." He moved so that he could sit facing Grimmjow, he inhaled then exhaled with concentration before he started to speak again. "Don't get me wrong, I still don't remember shit, and honestly I'm tired of trying, what difference does it make anyways." He shook his head bit down on his bottom lip. Grimmjow had his blue eyes trained on him. He looked incredibly tired, dark rings under his eyes, his white stubble was a lot thicker now after going a week without shaving but he was still the most beautiful thing in the world to Ichigo.

"At first I thought because of the shock of….fuck, Everything, that I had built this unnatural, weird sort of attraction to you. But then Renji and Shinji showed up and for the first time since I woke up from the coma I felt threatened. Not like how I felt with the aliens this was different. I-I felt-" Ichigo was at a loss for words and he was using his hands trying to create some sort of weird sign language to express how he was feeling, to express what he was trying to say without sounding to crazy or possessive.

"They've been nothing but nice Tiger." Grimmjow tried to help. His eyes were so soft and Ichigo chuckled.

"Yeah I thought it was that too, but it wasn't that kind of threatened." It took a moment before it dawned on the farmer and when it did Ichigo saw the lightbulb go off in Grimmjow's head. "Yeah." Ichigo nodded his head. "I realize I sound crazy, that I'm being ridiculous and truthfully I don't know where it's coming from. I just know once I realized I wasn't your entire world anymore-"

"Ichigo." Grimmjow cut in reaching out to grab the young man by the back of his neck. He began to rub soothing circles with his thumb.

"No let me finish. I realize I need to get my shit together, I want to better." Grimmjow was shaking his head disagreeing with Ichigo. "I want to be better for you because I realized if I'm not, I could lose you to those two survival specialist, or I'll do something stupid that'll get you killed."

"Ichigo stop being stupid." Grimmjow pressed his lips to the young man's again for only a moment and when they parted Ichigo continued to speak.

"You said I was the most exotic beautiful creature you had ever seen remember that?" Grimmjow nodded. "I can say the same thing about you Blue. You mean everything to me and it's not just because we are alone in the world, but because I know what I got sitting right here in front of me and I don't ever want to lose it."

Ichigo looked down into the empty space that separated them. How long had he wanted to get that off his chest. It didn't matter to him anymore whether or not he was actually gay. What matter was how he felt about Grimmjow. So, what if he'd only known him for a month. He cared for him and lusted for him all in the same breath and those two emotions had mixed together into something wonderful and he was going to cling to that feeling until his last breath.

"Diddo." Said the farmer. Ichigo snorted leave it to Grimmjow to have the last word. Night was falling over the Walmart and with it the cold night air. So the warmth radiating from Grimmjow's body felt like heaven to the younger man.

Ichigo finally raised his head to turn around and thank Shinji for pushing him to do what he had been either to chicken shit or to stubborn to do but the blonde and his red headed lover were long gone.

"They dipped out some time ago." Grimmjow said and Ichigo's head whipped around and his eyes were wide and they were all but piercing a whole into Grimmjow who was looking back at him slightly confused. "Chill Tiger, they didn't abandon-" The farmer misunderstood Ichigo's expression of course he did.

"Nah you've mistaken me Blue." Grimmjow's eyebrows grew together in confusion. Ichigo sat up on his knees and the farmer's hand fell from around his neck to grab at his black t-shirt to keep him from standing up. But leaving Grimmjow on the floor was the farthest thing from Ichigo's mind.

He ran a hand through the farmer's hair before tilting the man's head to the side with a soft jerk exposing the nape of his neck, Ichigo dipped his head and Grimmjow let out a low rumble when his lips made contact with warm flesh. He sucked in hard and he felt Grimmjow jerk below him grabbing at his slender waist as he released the piece of warm flesh from between his teeth to run his tongue up towards Grimmjow chiseled jawline.

Ichigo straddled his new love's lap as he began to nip and suck at Grimmjow's exposed neck. And he prayed to whoever that would listen that Renji and Shinji would take a long time where ever they had ran off to.

His jacket was slithered off by the farmer and he began to do that rhythmic grind that had seemed to drive the farmer so crazy only days before but unlike before today he wanted to take his time and he wanted to watch and hear the farmer beg for what he had to give. His black tee was the next to go and for the first time he noticed exactly how cold it was in the store.

He began to make quick work of that infamous green tattered jacket but he was having a hard time removing the other two layers that covered the farmer's injured chest because his hands were not cooperating with him. His body was responding to Grimmjow in such a way that although his mind was telling his hands what to do they weren't listening.

Grimmjow had managed to remove his gray fingerless gloves to undo Ichigo's black jeans before the other could even pull the gray henley over his head. He had Ichigo's erection in his hand moving in slow hard pumps, while his mouth played with the man's nipples. The farmer's free hand firmly grabbed at his sacs and began to massage.

And He found himself bunching the fabric of the henley's hem up in his hands as his hips rolled and thrusted upwards into the farmer's hands. His head fell back as Grimmjow picked up his pace, and he could feel the cold night air hit his chest as the farmer's mouth moved upwards and then there he was licking and nipping at the prominence of Ichigo's chin.

The young man on top was pulling up and yanking down on that fabric as he continued to jerk in time with each tug on his hardened member.

All the blood was rushing from the very tip of his head down to his southern regions and he didn't want the sexual stimulation to ever stop. He could hear his own voice escaping his lips as he began spouting nonsensical words.

"TALK DAT SHIT TIGER!" Grimmjow growled out those words and the sound of that voice reverberated between them, causing him to release into the man's awaiting hand, on his bare chest and that gray henley.

He was breathing as if he'd just ran a mile and he released the iron grip hold on the henley, his eyes were swimming in their sockets as he fought to regain a hold of his senses. His cheek rested on Grimmjow's broad shoulders his body felt like a limp noodle but damn it if it didn't feel good.

He heard Grimmjow hum in appreciation as he started to lick his fingers clean. See what you have to understand is that there were somethings uniquely special about this situation something that sent a jolt of pleasure rippling right through Ichigo's core.

He grabbed Grimmjow wrists before he could finish licking his index finger clean. Grimmjow quirked an eyebrow and tilted his head to the side before he slid the digit inside Ichigo's mouth.

"Delicious ain't it?" Grimmjow asked.

"Hmm." Ichigo hummed and then the farmer slid another finger inside his mouth.

"What would ya rather have peaches?"

"Mmh!" Ichigo reached between them to release Grimmjow from the restraint of his jeans. The farmer had latched on to the nape of his neck and was humming and upbeat sort of tune.

_Strange but I like it!_

Grimmjow pulled his fingers from Ichigo's mouth and snaked his hand around to his awaiting entrance as the young man on his lap wrapped one hand around his swollen length.

He gave the muscle an involuntary squeeze when he was invaded roughly by two of Grimmjow's impatient fingers. Ichigo's back arched and Grimmjow banged his head on the shelving when he jerked backwards both males yelling out the same thing.

"Aggghh Gahhh!"

Ichigo had loosened his grip on his love's erection as blinding stars danced in his vision. Fuck if that didn't hurt. But the heat that was forming in his gut was quickly working it's way down...down and he knew once the man beneath began to move those two fingers in and out he would lose his shit all over again before he could even manage to get his new love to cum for him at least once.

"Fuck me Tiger!" Those words jerked Ichigo back to his senses if only minutely. "Move dat hand! Stroke me dammit." Grimmjow growled deep in his throat. "FUCK TIGER!"

Ichigo felt shameful he had been so focused on the blinding pain pleasure generating through his body he had momentarily forgot he was holding Grimmjow's oh so sensitive dick in his hand. He felt the warm pre-cum began to drizzle down from the head onto the side of his thumb.

His hand began to glide of it's on accord. Had he done this before? His thumb and index finger created a ringer and he picked up speed and pressure. Any of this? He used his other hand to gently but firmly play with the farmers soft sacs. He wondered for another millisecond before another digit was slid into him and it took all of him not to vice grip Grimmjow a second time

"Faster dammit!" Grimmjow growled, picking up his own pace, his voice echoed dominance and arrogance. He complied with the demand. He had an aching sensation creeping up from his lower backside from the rough invasion but he didn't care it was masked so well by the pleasure. "SPEAK DAT SHIT!" Grimmjow yelled, Ichigo was back to speaking in tongues. Oh the fuck well.

Grimmjow's fingers finally brushed over the bundle of nerves inside him.

"OOOOHH FFUUUCK!" He lost it again for the second time, and somehow he didn't think he was going to recover as quickly from that second release like he did from the first. He felt his whole body give way that time he couldn't even form a coherent thought.

He was on his back by the time his vision cleared, his legs on Grimmjow's shoulder. He reached up and grabbed the farmer's forearms just as the man pushed in gliding effortlessly until he was fully sheathed by the heated tight ring of muscles that lined the inside of his former charge.

The pain shot through his lower body and Ichigo's back arched up off the ground. He hadn't the time to think about what his new love used for lube, before the wild ride inside the abandoned Walmart took off.

The man above gave Ichigo all he had, and it left something to be wondered if Grimmjow had ever been sick at all.

Ichigo hadn't the time to fully undress his new partner but those blue jeans seemed to work their way down on their own revealing the farmer's lower body. Ichigo could tell the man was blessed down south when he held him in his hands. But now as he laid there, shoulders on the linoleum ass in the air he had a full view each time the man pulled out to the tip and thrusted violently back in.

Grimmjow rolled those slender hips as he plunged back inside brushing past Ichigo's pleasure center and the man on the floor yelled out just how much he wanted the farmer to do it again.

"Not till I see ya touch yerself!" Grimmjow commanded. And without hesitation Ichigo reached up and grabbed himself.

_Damn when did I get hard again?_

He thought and when his own hands wrapped around himself his eyes rolled to the back of his head. It felt so good just to touch himself and he tapped his finger tips to his hardened length, like he was playing a piano just so he could feel the little pin pricks of sexual stimulation to the sensitive muscle.

"Damn!" Ichigo cried. "Sa' Shit!" As he began to pump his self while his love on top carried him over into another blissful oblivion and god help him if he wasn't spilling out over his own hand. Grimmjow brushed his center once again and gave another deep thrust before he finished inside him.

The farmer lowered Ichigo's legs to the floor before he collapsed on top of him the man's breathing was erratic and there was a small tremor in his body. Ichigo reached up and ran his hand through Grimmjow's now wet hair.

"Are you okay Blue?" After all they did he was worried that the man might have reopened his wounds.

"Fuck your joshing me." Grimmjow breathed out in exasperation.

Ichigo couldn't help but blush and shake his head.

"I can-I can't." Grimmjow reached up and pulled at his nose. His head tilted up and he pecked at Ichigo's chin and then gave the smaller man a thumbs up with a couple of nods. Ichigo chuckled and then repeated the answer he got from Grimmjow right before all of this started.

"Diddo." Ichigo's chuckle then turned into hysterical laughter once the farmer rolled off him.

"Waz funny Tiger?" The farmer asked tiredly.

"Mostly blue with sprinkles of white." Ichigo's response. He turned his head to the side and then reached a hand over to caress Grimmjow's chin. His facial hair was soft. The farmer wrapped his arms around his waist and pulled him closer bringing him into an open mouth kiss.

"What's blue with sprinkles of white?" Grimmjow inquired his breathing was back to normal but his eyes were half laded.

Ichigo shook his head.

"Just something I wondered since the first day I laid eyes on you and now I know."

This seem to only confuse the farmer more but before he could say something about it, their attention was drawn to the sound of heavy booted footsteps running their way. Shinji screamed, his voice extremely frantic no longer worried about using swear words.

"GET YA SHIT DA LIZARDS AV' FOUND US!"


	10. Hidden Talents

_A/N: Would you like to join my mindset? Sure you do. Never Too Late- Three days Grace. Without further ado. Here we go people_.

Chapter 10 Hidden Talents

Grimmjow jumped up like he had ants in his pants, so did Ichigo hurrying to put their clothes back in place. Grimmjow fixed his pants, pulled the soiled gray henley over his head and had his green jacket on before Ichigo could finish fastening his jeans. Shinji ran over to where they had placed their weapons and packs throwing Grimmjow's tan one to him and then Ichigo's black one to him.

Ichigo hadn't the time to really process the seriousness of the situation until the entire Walmart began to tremble followed by loud drawn out screeching.

"Here Tiger put these in your ears." Ichigo opened his right hand as he situated the back pack on his back. The farmer dropped two sponge like black ear plugs in his hand. "After the first encounter with them your ears shouldn't bleed but the screeching will still hurt a tinge." Ichigo nodded as the building shook more violently again. He instinctively grabbed Grimmjow by the forearm to steady himself.

"Fuck I didn't think we were that loud." Grimmjow said to Shinji once the ground stop moving.

"It wah int you, It wah me and Ren. It wah an ax-a-dent." There was a loud explosion from the front of the store, Ichigo fell to his knees and Grimmjow fell backwards knocking into the metal shelvings as Shinji began running towards the back of the store stumbling over his feet nearly falling to the floor while yelling for his friends to follow him.

It didn't take anytime for Grimmjow and Ichigo to regain their bearings before they too were on their feet scrambling and running after the hunter. Out of the camping section, pass the automotive and the hunting gear right to a fire exit and with one swift kick by Shinji the door nearly flew off it's hinges. Just as Renji screeched to a halt in a black dodge Ram pick up truck.

"GET IN!" Renji yelled. "DARE HOT ON ME!"

Ichigo who had been right on Grimmjow's heels froze in his steps as a memory of the same truck in fire engine red appeared before his eyes. The paint shimmered in the daylight.

"What the hell!" Ichigo breathed.

_"Ya like it?"_

Came a voice in his head, it wasn't his own. No this voice sounded deep, husky and fairly sure of it self. He hadn't the time to analyze that voice because another one rang out in his mind.

_"We thought you would like it. Oh say you like it!"_

This other voice was vastly different from the first because it belonged to a girl. She was rather chipper, she sounded happy. Then came the sound of another voice. It belonged to another male it wasn't as deep as the first, it was raspy and it had an edge to it as if it was half mocking Ichigo.

_"You're a hard guy to shop for even if you are my twin."_

"Twin." Ichigo breathed out just when he felt Grimmjow grab him by his forearm breaking him from his thoughts.

"Jump in the front Tiger." Grimmjow commanded. Ichigo regained his composure and ran around to the passenger side door as Grimmjow jump into the bed of the truck with Shinji. The young man with the orange hair had barely the time to close the door before Renji sped off.

His head was spinning and it felt like it was about to explode trying to process all the incoming sensory data. He turned back looking for Grimmjow, and he saw two screecher's coming around the corner of the building. The aliens were both armed firing their weapons in the direction of the pickup.

Both Grimmjow and Shinji were sitting up their backs against the glass of the cab of the truck. They had positioned themselves half leaning on each other with a foot braced on the protruding wheel well of the truck.

They were firing off rounds. Ichigo thought that they were just firing haphazardly until Shinji took out one. It fell hard shaking the ground more violently than when it had been running.

Then Grimmjow took out the other. It collided with the stone wall of the Walmart the building exploding on impact as if a bomb had just gone off.

Renji took a hard left and Ichigo fell into the passenger door of the car. Shinji fell into Grimmjow his weapon going off shooting a whole through the truck bed's door. But just then something clicked inside Ichigo's brain.

_He braked too soon, and he overturned._

The truck swayed side to side before righting itself decreasing in speed as it did so.

"That wasn't smooth." Ichigo spoke out loud.

_"You'll never getting anywhere driving like that."_

It was that deep confident voice from earlier. And it was in that moment Ichigo remembered who it belonged to.

"Oh yeah ya think ya cah do any betta." Renji breathed out. But Ichigo wasn't really paying attention. "FUCK!" Renji screamed drawing Ichigo's attention to what the man was yelling at.

They reached the front entrance to the Walmart. If you could call it that. It look more like a pile of rubble. Screechers had descended on it the lights from their head armor, as well as from their weaponry shined in on the Walmart. And if Ichigo hadn't known any better he would have said they appeared to be searching for survivors. There were only a half dozen of them or so but when Renji had skidded around the corner it drew their attention and now they were chasing the black pick up.

They reached the street and Renji made a hard right and all the passengers slid to the left side of the car. He had to slam on the brakes to keep from swerving off the road. And the half second it took Renji to get the car back on track and increase the speed, was more than enough time for the Aliens to catch up. Ichigo felt the heat from the blast before he heard Shinji's scream. Both the driver and passenger windows had been rolled down so he knew if he felt the heat and heard the scream so did Renji.

"SHIN!" The hunter screamed trying to look back and drive the truck. Ichigo dare not look back. He knew how Renji must have been feeling in that moment but the red head could only have one task at the moment and it could not be Shinji.

"JUST DRIVE!" Ichigo yelled from his seat, finally looking back, Grimmjow was on top of a writhing Shinji. The blue haired farmer's mouth was moving as he struggled to get Shinji to lie still. Ichigo could barely see in the darkness the Aliens were falling back and with them the light from their weapons and armor. But what he could see in the fading light wasn't good. The left side of Shinji's body was burned.

"Will we lose them?" Ichigo asked turning his head not his body in Renji's direction. Renji didn't answer he was driving shaking his head tears rolling down his cheeks Shinji hadn't stop screaming.

"FUCK!" The hillbilly yelled again. They reached an intersection that was currently occupied but of course not by humans. The screeching grew louded as the aliens realized what was coming directly their way. Ichigo could barely hear himself think over the sounds of screaming and screeching. But one thought made it through.

_I know this….place. This is my home._

"TURN RIGHT!" Ichigo yelled as loud as he could and Renji looked over at him. His eyes bloodshot red from the crying. "JUST DO IT!" The intersection came up so fast. They were doing nearly a hundred miles an hour on the small street that the red head nearly missed the turn. He slammed down on the brakes. "DON'T DO THAT! USE BOTH FEET." Ichigo yelled, grabbing the wheel as Renji began to frantically turn. "EASE UP ON THE BRAKE. NOW ACCELERATE!"

It was still a jerky turn but they didn't lose as much momentum as before, there was a blast over the truck and the ceiling instantly turn a bright hot red-orange. Ichigo turned around looking out at the bed of the truck. Grimmjow had covered Shinji with his body, his hands over his head. They were okay for now.

"SHIT!" Renji spat out.

"Just drive." Ichigo's chest was heaving up and down as he turned back around, but it wasn't from fear no he had pure adrenaline running through his veins. A feeling he was now remembering he knew all to well.

They were being chased by more Aliens than before, nearly a dozen. Shinji had stop screaming and Grimmjow had resumed working on him. Which was a good sign well he hoped that was a good sign.

Ichigo look back to the front to tell Renji he was about to make a left. But before he could he noticed Renji was currently engaged in a game of chicken with a Screecher that was running right towards them.

Ichigo pulled the hand gun from the small of his back. Without a thought he went to lean out the opened window and began firing haphazardly in the Aliens direction. His first shot knick the left hind leg the monster stumbled but it didn't slow down or veer off course. The second shot bounced off it's bare reptilian-like chest, and it didn't even flinch.

"Use mine." Renji called out to Ichigo. The hunters weapon was a military grade weapon just like the one Grimmjow slung to his back.

Ichigo reached for the weapon he now recognized as a M-16.

"Aim fer da ahh-low point in da neck or da eyes dats dare weak spots." Renji instructed and Ichigo gave a single nod.

"Keep the truck steady." The man with the orange hair said as he leaned his torso outside the truck. He brought the weapon to his right shoulder and looked in the scope, the headlights of the truck lit the alien up like a christmas tree, he honed in on the hallow point in the neck and pulled the trigger once.

The greenish gray reptile-like monster fell instantly it's body rolling towards the truck. Ichigo barely got inside the truck before Renji began swerving.

"HOLE-EE SHIT!" Renji yelled and began whooping hollers.

"BOTH FEET!" Ichigo yelled. Renji freaked and braked. "NO DAMMIT!" The red head began to accelerate. "Left." Ichigo said more calmly. Renji began turning the wheel but not as fast as Ichigo would have liked, so he grabbed a hold of the wheel. "Ease up." He spoke calmly in a tutorial like fashion, they were half in the turn Ichigo found himself yelling again. "NOW!" Renji all but slammed on the gas pedal. This time the turn was much smoother but they still lost momentum. Ichigo went to hang out the window to fire back at the Aliens he knew were hot on their trail.

"There is a warehouse coming up. A mile up the road to the right-" Ichigo fired he missed the one but he got it the second time. He fell back into the car to check the rounds in the clip. "I see this shit happening one of two ways. You're either gonna crash. Or they're gonna catch us."

"Who da fuck are ya?" Renji looked sideways at Ichigo as the young man went to firing outside the car again.

"Shuuhei used to leave a garage door open. Let's hope he didn't change habits when the Aliens took over." Ichigo said to Renji. "We're coming up on the warehouse. The turn is gonna be tricky."

"IF WE STOP FER A SEC-" Renji began.

"YOU'RE RUNNING OUT OF GAS!" Ichigo yelled and pointed at the dash. Ichigo could only assume after the duo went out of their way to get medicine for Grimmjow they hadn't the time to fine more fuel. "Look if this truck goes in and another car comes out they'll follow it and not think to go checking in the shop right?" Ichigo asked and Renji nodded. "There!" Ichigo pointed to a Car detailing garage that was the size of a warehouse and just like he thought one of the doors was open. "BRAKE!" Ichigo yelled hanging onto the bar over his door.

"All the way?" Renji questioned.

"YES! HARD RIGHT!." The passenger commanded preparing himself to jump out of the truck as soon as they entered the garage. He figured he had about thirty seconds before the Aliens would have the building completely surrounded. Renji did as he was told. The car screeching as it swerved and halted in front of the open garage door. "GUN IT!" Ichigo yelled, the wheels smoked and smelled as the pickup sped towards the entrance. "There is a Harley Davidson off exit 273 I-95, I'll meet you there." Ichigo spoke so fast he only hoped Renji heard all of it, because he really hadn't the time to repeat it. The car jerked to a violent stop the inhabitants of the vehicle jerking with the car. Ichigo jumped out of the cab of the truck and stumbled slightly from the vibrating ground. He stuffed his handgun in his back waistband.

"Yer gonna do da driving?" Renji asked from the driver's seat.

_Well who the hell else is gonna do it._

Ichigo thought looking around the garage for a car he knew to be there. Shuuhei always had vehicles on display gassed up and ready for a test drive; keys already in the ignition.

"WHAT THE FUCK! WHY ARE WE STOPPING!" Grimmjow yelled.

"Just go meet me there!" Ichigo called over his shoulder as he ran over to a silver mustang with black racing stripes going down the middle. It had been parked over to the side and was facing the direction of the open garage door.

"Tiger where ya going?" He heard Grimmjow ask in the distance.

"It's my turn to take care of you Blue." Ichigo called over his shoulder.

"Tiger….Tiger."

Ichigo swung open the door looking back at the farmer who was staring over at him, the lights from the pickup truck bouncing off the walls of the garage illuminating the place.

"I'm doing this, just make sure it's not in vain. Renji!"

He pointed a finger at the red head before he jumped in the driver side of the car. It was black leather interior and it had a stick shift. He almost smiled as he revved up the engine strapped himself in and turned on the lights. His eyes cut to Grimmjow who was scrambling out of the bed of the truck.

"GET YOUR ASS BACK HERE! ICHIGOOOO!" Grimmjow's scream echoed in his mind as the car took off he exited the garage, looking in the rearview mirror to see Renji pulling Grimmjow back down.

_Please don't do anything stupid Blue!_

He hit the dip in the street, where the driveway and the asphalt connected, scrapping the front part of the car on the ground sparks flying. The Screechers were near the entrance to the garage and they honed in on his car as he exited. And he hoped and prayed they would follow him.

_God I know I've called on you a lot lately but you would do us a great kindness if you make these bastards really stupid just this once for me._

He shifted decelerating the car, his foot slowly lifting off the clutch before switching to put slight pressure on the brake turning right onto the street.

His turn was smooth and nearly flawless as well it should be. After all he was the best at what he did.

His foot found the clutch again and the accelerator as he took off down the street shifting through high speeds. He had to remind himself that he didn't want to lose the pursuing aliens just yet. He wanted all red slitted eyes on him. He wanted them to follow.

He checked his rearview mirror taking his eyes off the road for mere seconds at a time. It looked as if the Screechers had taken the bait. They weren't too bright were they.

_Thank-you god._

Both his hands were on the wheel now his lights on high. They were shooting at him from behind but he made sure to stay out of range of their weapons but close enough for them to continue on his trail.

He knew this town like the back of his own hand. And although the street signs were all familiar the city of Daytona looked so unfamiliar. It was half burned to the ground and totally empty of all it's human occupants except for four.

There were empty and burned out cars lining the streets, in the middle of the streets, and up on the sidewalks with their doors open. There was debris from buildings, fallen metal signs that once belonged to businesses and restaurants, all obstructing his path as he drove through a commercial part of the city. People must have been in a hurry to get away this area looked more like a war zone more so than the rest of the city.

His hand was on the stick shift again as he continued to weave around the fallen debris still dodging incoming blasts from behind.

_"He's coming up on your left hang back but keep it steady."_

The voice rang out in his mind and Ichigo's eyes filled with tears. He hadn't the time for that any of it. He closed his eyes momentarily to shake off the thought. Opening them again, his eyes nearly bugging out of his skull from the shock because literally in the blink of an eye two screechers were running towards him.

"Hmm. Well don't I feel lucky." Ichigo hit the accelerator foot on the clutch ready to shift if need be. "You wanna play. Let's play."

He swerved right and then left, the car creating an imaginary smooth continuos S on the pavement. And just like he expected the two split down the center one to the left and the other to the right he was about a 100 feet from them. The one to the left had no armor. So Ichigo thought to pick on him first. He made a hard right, his foot applying pressure to the break, his hand on the stick ready to shift as the tires began screeching the car was all but sliding down the street sideways. He released the brake, switching to the clutch pressing down with his booted foot, shifting as a smile crept over his face. He was beginning to feel like his old self again. The Alien leapt forward to grab at the silver vehicle, as the tires continue spitting out thick white smoke.

Ichigo felt the hum of the engine as the car took off straight at the Alien that split to the right. It had it's weapon pointed directly down at him, he couldn't hear it but he knew the weapon was revving up and preparing to fire. And as the claws of the other scratched the trunk of the car. He braked and turned the car back to the left to straightening it out. He moved so fast that neither of the attacking Screechers had time to realize the trap he so effortlessly placed them in. His car took off leaving them in a trail of smoke. He heard the blast behind him and he smirked to himself as his brown eyes looked up into the rearview mirror. And he let out a chuckle when he saw the one holding the weapon looking at the pile of ash that was once his reptilian comrade.

_"That's enough fun Ichigo. You've played around out there long enough. Bring it home babe."_

The voice rang true in his mind. And a familiar sadness crept over the orange haired male. He stepped on the accelerator and clutch shifting one last time. The car taking off in it's intended destination. The aliens that had been following faded in the distance and into the blackness. And he sincerely hoped he wouldn't come across any others on the interstate.

Ichigo pulled into the Harley Davidson 20 minutes later. It was larger than most with it's two stories, it was in a pavilion that was connected to another motorcycle shop and a gas station. This was what made Ichigo think of the place. It was close by off the interstate easy for Renji to find and a place to siphon gas for their trip.

Ichigo didn't know if his companions would be there. He had purposely slowed down on the drive over because he didn't want to attract any other Screechers and he also wanted the time to collect his thoughts. He pulled in around back looking for Renji's pick-up truck but he didn't see it.

He parked the car and jumped out. Walking around to the front entrance of the store his hands in his back pockets his head lowered. When he reached the front door he had to keep himself from screaming out, when he was grabbed up by his black wind breaker and thrown up against the concrete wall. Warm firm lips pressed against his but before he could have time to enjoy the affection the other pulled away.

Grimmjow was centimeters from his face and the man was breathing down on him. His face was bright red and his blue eyes fixed on Ichigo's brown ones radiating a mixture of fear, anger and relief.

"What the fuck was that?" Grimmjow gritted out the words as if it was taking everything in him not to scream at Ichigo.

"Grimmjow can we go inside?" Ichigo's expression was soft and he reached up and placed his left hand over Grimmjow's right.

"Why...why…" Grimmjow shook his head and bit down on his lower lip. He loosened his hold on Ichigo and then buried his head in Ichigo's neck. His right hand coming up and planting on the wall behind the other male while his other hand rested on Ichigo's waist. "Why do you keep doing this to me?"

"I'm sorry." Ichigo spoke in Grimmjow's ear. "We wouldn't have made it very far, the way Renji drives and we were nearly out of gas." Grimmjow raised his head looking at Ichigo from the side shaking his head. "I did what I thought was best at the time."

"And you thought you could out run-"

"No." Ichigo cut in. "I knew I could."

Grimmjow narrowed his eyes and mouthed the word 'What.' He was confused.

"How fast they run, and with me behind the wheel of a car-" Ichigo began.

Grimmjow stood up to his full height and Ichigo stop speaking when the man's gaze fell dead on him.

"Ya got ya memories back didn't ya?" Ichigo waited a beat and then nodded his head.

"I got em all." He spoke unsure of his own voice. He had been right before when he said getting his memories back would be like opening Pandora's box.

"That's how you knew about that garage?" Grimmjow asked and Ichigo nodded again.

"Best friend of mine." Ichigo spoke. "He owned it, had cars on display that were always ready for a test drive." Grimmjow nodded.

_"Whatever you want to drive….just drive."_

It was the voice of his best friend.

_"Nah Shuu, I'm looking for something else this time."_

_"Oh yeah. Like what" Shuuhei asked. He was always interested in everything Ichigo had to say._

_"Don't laugh."_

_"Now why would I do that?" Shuuhei smiled devilishly._

_"I want a pickup truck." Ichigo said beaming goofily and just like that Shuuhei fell out laughing._

Ichigo teared up and collapse to the ground. Grimmjow caught him, lowering to the cement with his new lover.

"Tell me Tiger….tell me so I can share the obvious pain you're in."

Ichigo scoffed in disbelief Grimmjow was truly amazing, he felt the man press his lips to his firmly and when they parted the farmer nipped at his bottom lip and then hugged him around the neck kissing the top of his orange head. Ichigo really liked that gesture.

"Who are you really my Tiger." Grimmjow asked. And Ichigo softly smiled looking up even though he couldn't really see the farmer.

"I'm a NASCAR driver and I think the people I loved tried to kill me."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I do not know how to drive stick shift I did research on the matter. If it is terrible I did the best I could after all this is ff.**


	11. Pandora's Box

_Thank you Driver of the number 20 Home Depot car Joey Logano for being my inspiration and my Ichigo ;) Now go Joey! Drive Fast!_

_Now would you like to join my mindset well of course you would. Listen to I don't ever wanna see you again-Uncle Sam. If you never listen to my music before now is a good time to start. This song embodies the end of this chapter, and if you would really like to know how Ichigo feels before I write it in chapter 12 then there is a good place to start. _

Chapter 11 Pandora's Box

They sat there on the cement sidewalk up against the hard burnt orange concrete wall of the Harley Davidson motorcycle store for a long while. Grimmjow had his arm still wrapped around Ichigo's shoulder while the other dipped his head under the farmer's chin. Feeling the warmth and comfort radiating from the other's body.

There was a distant screech in the background and neither of the males moved knowing that the sound was too faraway to worry about.

"So." Came the rumble of Grimmjow's voice breaking the silence of the night air. The moon was big and bright as well as the night time stars. Ichigo found himself looking up into the space. He could feel Grimmjow's gaze on him. "Are you going to finish that train of thought or are you going to leave me wondering?"

Ichigo looked down at his and Grimmjow's legs. Grimmjow's right hand was resting lazily in his own lap and when he noticed the driver looking down he opened his hand and made a gesture for Ichigo to take it. Their fingers interlocked and Ichigo felt Grimmjow's plump warm chapped lips press tenderly against his right temple. While the farmer's left hand began to run through his hair.

"I can't read your mind." Grimmjow said into the driver's right ear.

"What difference will it make?" Ichigo asked looking at Grimmjow. The farmer shrugged.

"I don't know. But you can't say something like that to me and not expect me to worry."

"I'm fine Blue." Grimmjow tilted his head, he didn't believe that one bit. Ichigo sighed.

"So Nascar?" Grimmjow asked.

"Yup." Answered Ichigo.

"Explains why Renji and Shinji thought they knew you."

"Yeah, I look a helluva lot different than before." Ichigo shifted so he could relax in Grimmjow's arm. The farmer rested his chin on the top of the driver's head. "First of all I'm about twenty pounds underweight. Secondly I'm so pale, I'm practically transparent. And lastly my hair." Ichigo blew out his air forcefully blowing his very long bangs temporarily out of his eyes.

"Hey now, I thought you liked my haircuts?" Grimmjow said playfully as he placed his and Ichigo's interlocked hands to his chest and pretended to be hurt before dropping their hands back in his lap.

"I do. They're the best. But still I look different."

"And let's not forget, you were on top of the world back then not a care in the world. You probably smiled all the time. And now all you do is scowl." Grimmjow added sarcastically with a hint of a playful undertone.

"I do not!" Ichigo found himself scowling at the moment and immediately corrected his face. And then he fell silent deep in thought.

He took in his air and held his breath, as his eyes began to tear up again. His lower lip began to quiver. He now fully understood the meaning behind the saying 'ignorance is bliss'. He would welcome his amnesia back with open arms. Grimmjow lowered his head and kissed the corner of Ichigo's eye releasing his tears.

"Please tell me." Grimmjow's baritone voice, mixed with the sound of the night air and the sound of crickets nearby sent a wave of hope through the young driver.

Ichigo wiped the lone stray tear from his eye.

"How is Shinji?" He asked diverting the conversation. Grimmjow chuckled.

"He'll live, Renji's looking after him. Like I'm trying to look after you if you let me."

"By trying to relive my past that really doesn't matter anymore." Ichigo snapped.

"It matters because it's affecting you. And who knows it might help for you to talk about it."

"I don't even know where to start." Ichigo began shaking his head, he lowered his head and he felt Grimmjow massage the back of his head, with the hand that had been draped around his shoulder.

"So what kind of car did you drive." Grimmjow asked. And Ichigo began smiling from ear to ear his eyes gleaming in the moonlight.

"My baby and my heart was my car. Yeah...yeah" Ichigo waved a hand when Grimmjow opened his mouth to speak. "We have several cars, but they're all duplicates of the original. My baby was a four shift standard Toyota Camry. It was deep purple, with the Gold logo of my primary sponsor a home surplus store, Hydekll's on the hood."

"Oh yeah my family shopped there all the time." Grimmjow added, with a sly smile. "I guess I was supporting you without supporting you." He said with a nod. Ichigo nodded as well with a lighthearted chuckle before he continued talking about his car.

"My baby had decals for my other sponsor's stuck everywhere else on her. My number 15 in gold letters were on my doors and the roof of my car, and over the driver's door written in gold lowercase cursive letters was my name. Ichigo Kurosaki." Ichigo smiled as he thought about his car, and it made the farmer smile as well.

"Those cars are pretty safe yeah?" Grimmjow inquired. Ichigo nodded. "So how did you end up in that hospital bed?"

"Ugh." Ichigo's head fell back as he scrunched down further looking up at the moon by Grimmjow's side. That happiness that was once displayed on his features when he had talked about his car was now completely gone. He all but melted into Grimmjow's body because to him that was the safest place on earth. "My whole life was a lie!" Ichigo began. "I told lies and I was spoon fed lies." Ichigo shook his head. "Grimmjow." He called out into the night air to his lover.

"Hmm." Responded the farmer.

"I said the people I loved tried to kill me."

"You did." Grimmjow agreed.

"But the truth is, I think I had it coming." Grimmjow sat up and Ichigo knew he was about to argue the point. But Ichigo wasn't going to give him the chance he continue his train of thought. "I started racing when I was six years old."

Silence from the farmer.

"I love racing, I've always loved it, and I will forever love it. It kept me sane, when I thought my world was going to fall apart. It provided for my family when we had nothing. And when I wanted to runaway after my mother was killed during a bank robbery, it helped me to run. If it was taken from me, If I couldn't drive anymore it would've been like ripping out my very soul."

Ichigo paused and looked up at Grimmjow. He felt small as he scrunched down up against the wall wrapped up in Grimmjow's embrace, he hadn't noticed the vice grip like hold he had on the farmer's hand. Grimmjow gave a half smile revealing a sharp canine.

"You're doing good Tiger. So, come on tell me all about it."

See what you gotta understand Blue is that when your out there on the track you feel everything that your car feels. If a car gets to close to you it can shake you and knock you off track. You can catch the draft of the car in front of you and it knock you off course. People think Stock car racing is so easy, that your just sitting behind the wheel of a car steering but it's more than that. When your driving for 400, 500 miles straight in practically the same position. In the mid hot summer day no fucking air conditioning, your legs are cramping, your feet feel like they are on fire because of the heat coming from the engine of your car. And your arms oh god your arms are so tired from being in the same damn position for hours on end they feel like they are about ready to fall off. Your throat is bone dry and you used up your last pit stop and all the while your hoping you don't crash before you reach the finish line on the final laps. But I wouldn't trade it for the world…..well actually I did come really close to it.

"Shake shake." Kensei's voice was in my ear and I knew he was trying to remain calm but with five laps to go and eight cars to past he was more than losing his cool. "Tighten it up Kid!" Kensei roared through my earpiece. Fuck like I didn't know that fact. I pushed the tiny red button near my steering wheel to talk back to my Crew Chief.

"I need gas and this car is running hot."

"Well you don't have time for that shit."

"Well I guess I'm going to have to finish this shit on fumes then." I spat back sarcastically.

"I guess so!" I rolled my eyes and shook my head.

I had been driving the Sprint Cup series for six years by then, and I had one other crew chief before Kensei, Ginjou. He was a dick and we never got along but I couldn't say he was completely out of my life because when he quit me he took over as my twin brother's Crew Chief.

"WHAT THE FUCK!" I spat out.

Number 18 Kyle Busch nearly clipped my side. I felt the draft and gripped the steering wheel like it was my life line. Of course I didn't see Kyle coming up on my left side the full face helmet I wore on my head and the bar from the head-neck restraint blocked my side vision and then there was the NASCAR rule that no outside objects on the car that kept me from having mirrors. But we had a way around that and dammit if my spotter should've told me that idiot was going to clip me.

"FUCK CHAD YOU GOING BLIND UP THERE?" I yelled through the head piece. We were down to lap three.

"No."

"Am I clear to pass on the left?" My brother who hadn't been on my line until this point spoke, which meant it was time for teamwork.

My twin brother and I, have a weird relationship. We used to be close, but after our mother died we grew apart, I turned to racing and he turned to gangs. His name was Shirogo Kurosaki but we all called him Shiro. He was pale in comparison to me, he had chalk white hair and golden eyes with black pupils. A product of medication our mother took when she was carrying us, for some reason it had only affected him. But anyways….

"Yes." Chad's monotone deep voice spoke answering my brother's question.

"Shiro's coming up behind you Ichigo." Kensei spoke to me and I gritted my teeth as I felt the bump from behind that let me know Shiro was now pushing me from behind right to the finish line.

This was the last lap in the Samsung 500 my first race of many. And I was sweating from head to toe even though my purple and gold fire suit provided ventilation, my nerves didn't stop me from overheating. My breathing picked up as did my adrenaline. I looked up into the rearview mirror and saw my brother in his royal blue helmet with orange flames on the sides. I smirked. As the adrenaline coursed through my veins.

It was a feeling I was so used to. Being able to feel the road through the vibrations on my steering column and the hum and heat of the engine through my foot pedals. I focused my attention back to the road and I zeroed in on the track of the Texas Motor Speedway. We weren't the only ones with the idea to ride bumper to bumper.

Shiro and I hit the last embankment as the track curved upwards. My competition split the track in half as I thought they would. Leaving a clear path in the middle.

"HIT IT! HIT IT!" Kensei roared in my ear. He wanted me to take the narrow opening that was going to close down on me as we moved out of the curve. I heard Ginjou give Shiro the same cue and my twin and I hit the accelerator at the same time.

We glided through the narrow opening the four cars had left us. Four down and five to go.

"The inside Ichigo." Ginjou called into my headset. I bit back my sarcastic comment temporarily, who the hell was he commanding. I thought Kensei was my Crew Chief.

"I don't need you to tell me how to drive my car." I spat back choosing to take the outside lane instead.

"KUROSAKI!" Kensei yelled. "Hard fucking head!" He growled out in pure anger. And as I steered my car off to the right with my brother in tow. Shiro was clipped by the driver of the number 16 car.

"DAMMIT!" I heard about five different people scream that in my ear. As I passed the grand marshall he waved the white flag signaling the last lap.

"Shiro just took out six other cars." Kensei spoke in my headset. "You should have listened to Ginjou."

"Bro you good?" Ignoring Kensei all together, choosing instead to say something to Shiro after all his accident was my fault.

"Yeah just don't make it in vain King."

We hit the first embankment and the cars split the track again. I eased between them, Taking the lead.

"Inside inside." Kensei's voice.

"Am I clear?" I asked of my spotter Chad.

"Now he asks me." Chad said sarcastically, I clicked my tongue. "Clear." He finally said.

I eased to the inside track. As I came out of the turn. Holding my position until the final curve. And this is always where the fun shit happens.

"Watch your right. 16 and 30 coming for ya." Chad spoke.

"Bring it out. Bring it out." Kensei ordered. I had to be tipping the speedometer at 196 give or take a few. No way to tell in those cars.

"Clear." Chad spoke. As we hit the last curve I steered out to the center of the track. As 16 and 30 were coming up on my side. They had to slow from hitting me, and spinning out. But the cars that were directly behind me took the distraction and were now gaining. And then I was side by side with my good friend Kyle.

I couldn't help the smirk hidden behind my full face white helmet. I was sometimes known as the cocky bastard among the other drivers. But to the fans I was the blazing orange asian. I gotta say I liked cocky bastard better.

"Get ya head tagether." Kensei had grown impatient with me. He thought I was fucking around with Kyle but I wasn't. Okay maybe I was a little. He was known to be a bigger dick than I, and I also knew that I was a particular thorn in his side. He kept looking over in my direction and as we came out of the curve. We both gunned it for the finish line.

I pulled into victory lane about 20 minutes later and Kensei all but yanked me from my car before I could take off my white helmet and put on my purple ball cap. I was smiling bigger than Renji and Shinji the day we met them.

There is nothing like the feeling of a win, even if I took out my brother to get it. And being the dick that I was I thought we were all good, I mean he did go up to the stage when I received my trophy so...

"So you weren't...all good." Grimmjow interjected breaking the young driver from his narrative. Ichigo lowered his head and shook it solemnly. He looked back up at the clear night sky the moon was big and bright set upon a back drop of twinkling stars. The screeching in the distance was growing louder and the young man with orange hair began to think if maybe they should seek shelter. But when Grimmjow dipped his head to kiss at Ichigo's lips that thought evaporated from his mind. When they broke apart Grimmjow rested his forehead on the driver's.

"I gotta say Tiger. It all sounds so fucking interesting." The farmer tilted his head to the side and began rubbing Ichigo's chin with his index finger and thumb. "Was it Ginjou?"

"Ginjou?" Ichigo questioned in return.

"That tried to kill you." Ichigo scoffed then smirked shaking his head while he did so. "I only assumed Tiger you know bad break up or something." Ichigo's head jerked back and his face turned up as he looked at the farmer with an oh so questioning glare. Grimmjow shrugged. I read between the lines.

"No. The only break up was that of Crew Chief and Driver. I mean Ginjou did come on to me but I-" Ichigo didn't finish his sentence he just shook his head.

"Wasn't attracted to him?" Grimmjow offered and Ichigo only continue to shake his head trying to find the words.

"I-I, Nascar is just." He paused biting his bottom lip. "They call it a man's sport. Gay drivers just don't exist in Nascar, ya know what I mean." Grimmjow nodded in understanding, while Ichigo only continue to shake his head as if he was trying to knock out all the bad thoughts and images. "I look back at it now and realize I acted like a child. Never thought about how Ginjou felt, how my actions affected him or Kensei."

"The Crew Chief that replaced him?" Grimmjow asked trying to follow, Ichigo's train of thought

"Yeah." Ichigo breathed out in an exasperated sigh. "It had to be a smack in Ginjou's face but that's neither here nor there. God I was such a fucking mess." Ichigo coughed uncomfortably.

"Tell me Tiger."

After the win we rented a vacation home for the night and partied. That wasn't the norm for us but it was the first race and my first win of the season. So our owner threw the team a party.

I found myself alone and in the kitchen and because my buzz was starting to wear off I began mixing myself a bullshit drink. Which pretty much was whatever the fuck I decided to put into the plastic cup. Because let's face it when you're on your way it really doesn't matter at that point what the drink tastes like. Then in strolled Shuhei with a maniacal grin on his face intent on ruining my buzz. His inky black spiky hair was covered by a purple and gold ball cap, he was wearing a black t-shirt with the racing teams logo over the right breast area, blue jeans and black sneakers. He really was my best friend and he knew all my deepest and darkest secrets even the one about Ginjou. Sadly I was closer to Shu than my own twin.

"So that shit with Ginjou earlier?" Shuhei began he knew the best time to talk to me was when I was sauced. Mainly because that's when I'm the most easy going.

"Good to know Tiger." Grimmjow interrupted, cracking a half smile. Ichigo rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"Anyway." He exclaimed before continuing his narrative.

I didn't really want to get into that conversation, so I threw up a hand to silence Shu. But he kept pushing. "So are you gonna talk about it when you're sober?" He asked.

"Naw snat really." I said trying to walk around him. He put his hand in my chest. And my head fell to the side and I squinted my eyes at him.

"You can't keep letting Ginjou get to you like that. People are starting to ask questions." Now that definitely sobered me up. I didn't need people poking into my private life. "What happened to Shiro affects not just him but the whole damn JDR team."

"I know...I know." I pulled at my own hair.

What you need to know about Nascar is that you race for a owner and most always you're on a team. My owner was Jamie Denae, a sixty one year old white man with salt and pepper hair and a white santa claus beard. He was tall and skinny and he was almost always caught wearing dockers and a polo shirt, but he was good people. I've raced for him since I was fifteen years old. Shiro joined when he was eighteen. He started with me on the nationwide team once he had gotten his life together, and then we moved on to the big Sprint Cup series which is the football equivalent to the NFL, with the Sprint Cup race being the Superbowl. Ya tracking me?

Grimmjow nodded after a thought and a second.

Good. The other person on our team was a guy who had a shitty ass attitude, who was always caught in some sort of verbal or physical altercation with other drivers. Gin Ichimaru. He was my role model. Just kidding. But, he was a good teammate just shitty to everyone else that wasn't on the Jamie Denae Racing team.

That day, Shiro placed next to last which meant the JDR team lost points and Shiro's positioning in the start of the next race was going to be close to last if he didn't qualify well, never a good place to start when there are 42 other cars on the track with you. And it was all my fault. So, pissed off I pushed past my best friend. And a few minutes later I found myself in an all white bedroom upstairs face down on a king sized bed, with my desire to get buzzed completely lost thanks to my best friend.

When I woke up the next morning, I was naked in bed lying next to a naked snoring Kensei. I freaked out. Like literally freaked out, I kicked not push, but kicked Kensei out of the bed. He woke up instantly when he slammed to the floor, swearing loudly as he did so. I had been sauced the night before but not enough to forget what had happened between us. He had sought me out, to talk to me about Shiro and one thing led to another. It had felt like a dream at the time, only thing was that it hadn't been one.

I jumped up and began pacing around the room butt ass naked.

I felt scared for the first time, in a long while, I had thought my career was over, I thought I was going to lose everything. Which meant my my father and sisters back in Japan were going to lose everything. And then when I thought about my teenage twin sisters I began having a literal panic attack. Kensei tried to comfort me but of course I pushed him away.

I bent over hands on my knees as the room began to spin. Then there was a knock on the door. It was my spotter Chad.

"Ichigo. Kensei ya okay?" My eyes nearly bugged out my head and my body began to visibly shake.

"We're good. Just trying to get the princess up and ready for the day." Kensei said nonchalantly. He was always good in tight situations, which made him one hell of a Crew Chief. "Get the rest of the team up won't ya?" Kensei instructed and since he was the Crew Chief, Chad didn't second guess the order. I returned my attention to the other naked man in the room standing no more than five feet away from me. "No one knows, I swear to you they don't. This is our secret Ichigo. Okay." I paused a moment and then nodded. "And it can continue to be our secret. If that's what you want."

I looked the man over for a long while. He was very pleasing to the eyes, he had short light grayish silver locks which he normally kept combed up into a faux mohawk style and piercing brown eyes. There was a gold hoop, piercing the outer edge of his right eyebrow. He had a tattoo of the number 69 on his chest, which was his unit from his military days.

Say it was the lust, say it was a moment of weakness, say it was me throwing caution to the wind whatever it was.

I nodded my answer to my Crew Chief, and then the lies began.

"Was Kensei your first?" Grimmjow asked. And Ichigo found himself tearing up. He released the farmers hand and sat up. He brought his knees up and folded his arms on top of them. He nodded several times before resting his forehead on his folded arms.

"Was it Kensei?" Grimmjow asked. "Did he try to kill you?"

"He loved me." Ichigo said instantly, raising his head, resting his chin on his arms. He continued his narrative.

We were together from then on out. He was my Crew Chief during the day and my lover at night. I was so careful not to say certain things to him. Careful not to touch him in certain ways or made sure that my eyes didn't linger when I looked at him. I was so careful. But somehow the rumors started spreading about Kensei and I.

As expected, I totally freaked out, I ended things with him and I started treating him shitty. Worse than how I treated Ginjou. And then he threatened to quit the team. JD stepped in, confronted me and told me to either get my shit together or he was going to have to let me go as a driver. No matter how good I was.

I guess if it had been you Grimmjow, you wouldn't have given it a second thought. You wouldn't have handled it like I did.

"I'm not judging you Tiger." Grimmjow dipped his head and rested his forehead on Ichigo's right temple. "I get it, you were stuck choosing between your two first loves." Ichigo nodded and his fist balled up on his knees and a tremble radiated through his body. "Which one did you choose?" The farmer really didn't need to ask the question he knew by Ichigo's body language which one he chose.

"Nascar." Ichigo paused. "I even took on a fake girlfriend, Shuhei's younger sister Senna. She had been a model trying to get her acting career off the ground and thought dating me would be good publicity." The young driver began to laugh sarcastically. "Her career took off by my driving didn't improve. I fucking sucked. I went from number 1 in points to 22nd. Then there were new rumors of me being replaced by another driver from another team and bumping me down to a lower division of stock car racing. I couldn't get my head right. I was making so many dumb mistakes. Taking it out on my crew. There was this one race I completely threw a two year old tantrum and started throwing shit every where. Gotta say that's not a youtube video I'm proud of."

"And Kensei?" Grimmjow interjected.

"Kensei knew it was more than what happened between us that was bothering me. That I was struggling with the fact that I was gay and a stock car driver. When Shuhei failed to get through to me, Kensei took it upon himself to become my personal savior."

"Why are you doing this, after the way I treated you?" I remember saying to him. We had been in a bar downtown with most of the JDR crew. We were celebrating but not because of me. My brother was the victor that day, I had placed 18th not bad, but awful for someone like me. Who never placed below 10th in his entire career.

I remember it so clearly we were sitting at a square wooden table far off in the corner away from the rest of the crew, a single dim light bulb hung over the table it was covered by a white glass lamp shade. I had a tall cold glass of Guiness in my right hand, and Kensei had his own draft in his. He was sitting across from me his left elbow propped up on the table, rubbing at his chin. He was wearing a white polo with the purple and gold emblem of my sponsor over the left breast area. I was wearing a gold team polo, blue jeans and brown loafers. There was silence between us as my crew chief pondered my question.

"I know how you feel." He offered honestly and I only continue to stare at him. "You know I used to be special forces in the army." I nodded. "Ever heard of don't ask, don't tell." I nodded again. "I get it Nascar is the same way, except they don't make you sign a little piece of paper."

My throat constricted, and I gripped the handle to my glass mug and stared across the table at my crew chief and first lover.

"I know how much you love driving, that's why I chose to work with ya kid." He continue speaking, his voice was even, deep but it had a hint of regret in it. "And I didn't fool myself, I knew when it came down to it, you would choose it over me. And I'm not angry about it."

It felt like I was having an outer body experience as if Kensei was reading my very mind.

"Your passion for those cars, for that sport, the way you light up when you talk about it." He clicked his tongue and stared out into the bar at the celebrating crew. His head whip back to me, and he dropped his left hand on the table and slid it across, and his left index finger began to rub my index finger that was still encircling the handle of my mug. He spoke to me, freezing me in place with his brown eyes. "That passion is gone now, and I would give anything to see it back again. Ya understand."

I hooked my finger with his.

"I understand." It came out as a whisper but he heard it just the same.

It started out as the friendship we once had, our driver, crew chief relationship as he helped me get back on top once again. We started placing in the top five, and the first time I came in first, we celebrated by sleeping together. And unlike before it wasn't accompanied by guilt or regret.

I fucking loved that man. And when I was on the track every other voice was just that a voice. Kensei's was my spark. He pushed me every time to the finish line. And somehow I was able to fuse the two things I loved more than anything in the world together, which made me so so happy.

He was there when I told my family I was gay and he supported me when I broke up with Senna. You wouldn't think I needed it, but she didn't take it well even if it was a fake relationship. At the time we were in a fake engagement and the rumors had started flying again about my sexuality. So she thought by getting sympathy from the fans it would help her career even more. I don't know if it did or not. Didn't really care. But she fueled the fire, insinuating whenever she could about my sexuality.

By no means was I handling any of this well, but with Kensei I was handling it better than before. My relationship with the rest of my crew was still strained from my behavior a couple of months prior, and at the time I believed Shiro hated me because he was no longer on top because I had made a come back. And although Shuhei and I were still friends, he was torn between his loyalty with me and his only living relative. So, Kensei helped me channel my anger and frustration into other means.

"Shooting." Grimmjow interjected once again that night. Ichigo looked at the farmer sideways.

"What ya think after ya ran off from me, I wouldn't grill the shit outta Renji." Ichigo smirked, he had forgotten that Renji got a first hand look at his skills with a gun.

"Of course you would Blue." Ichigo let out a calming puff of air before looking back up at the moon. "Anyway."

Kensei was skilled with guns because of his special forces training, so on particularly bad days we would go to a gun range. I got good at blocking it all out. Focusing on my racing, my family back in Japan and most of all my relationship with Kensei. Those three things were all I cared about. I ignored everyone and everything else, even my very best friend Shuhei. And then before I knew it I was qualifying for the big race. The race for the Sprint Cup.

Ichigo stopped talking, and began breathing heavily taking in long drags of air, and exhaling slowly. Grimmjow dropped his arm from Ichigo's shoulder and began rubbing soothing circles in his back. The young driver's head dropped before he slowly raised it looking out in the distance, a cool breeze chilled him to the bone, with the sounds of crickets and Screechers reminding him that he and the farmer were not alone. He had come that far it was time to finish the story.

I had talked to Kensei the night before about it, it had been my idea. I knew I couldn't go on living the way I had, the stress was going to eventually break me. I got permission from JD and since I was back on top he agreed that it was best. So, I fired my entire crew all except my spotter Chad, I told them after my qualifying run.

"Since you don't really follow my direction and you choose only to listen to my Crew Chief who is NOT the leader of this team. I think it's best we all parted ways." They were all dumbfounded, even Shuhei.

"We're like brothers, Ichigo." I'll never forget the look in Shu's eyes, he didn't see it coming but then again none of them did.

"I have to look out for me." I tried to explain myself.

"And FUCK THE REST OF US!" He yelled and of course the rest of the crew nodded in agreement.

"Some of us have families you jackass!" One of my tire guys yelled at me.

"I'm aware of that. But you don't respect me any more. You guys will find new jobs. I'm sure of it." I looked back at Kensei He was standing on my left side, Hands in the pockets of his blue jeans. He was wearing his white jacket, that looked like the top part of my fire suit. He offered a reassuring smile.

"Just like you are going to find a new best friend." Shuhei was a couple of feet from me.

"After what I'm going to do tomorrow, post race you might not like me anymore anyways."

"What are you going to do?" His eyes narrowed on me.

"I'm going to tell everyone the truth about me, including the fake relationship with your sister and my secret one." I looked back at Kensei, he hadn't left my side.

"That will destroy her. You know she's being-"

"Playing on public sympathy. I never told her to do that. She made her bed just as I have made mine."

"Yeah you did. Remember that tomorrow." That was the last thing he said to me before he walked off, the rest of my crew in tow. I really should have been concerned about that comment but someone else was demanding my attention at that moment.

"Just like that you're coming out?" I turned around to find my brother, who was shooting daggers at me with his eyes dark golden eyes.

"You're my twin Shiro and we're on the same team. You gotta stop hating me over this shit."

"You're so fucking dense King." He spat out through gritted teeth.

"What?" I questioned, he walked up to me and put an index finger in my chest.

"While you were royally fucking over your life the rest of us were happy living ours. And then you come back and fuck us all over."

I shook my head I was so confused.

"Shiro, I'm sorry if you preferred me to fuck over my career, so you could get ahead."

"THIS ISN'T ABOUT NASCAR!" He yelled at the top of lungs drawing the attention of everyone around.

Kensei reached for his shoulder.

"Shiro." He called out before my brother snatched away from, looking at him with the same cold hard stare. He clamped his jaw closed so tightly that you could see his cheeks shaking.

"Fuck you Kensei! Fuck both of you!" He pointed a finger from Kensei then to me. I was fucking dumbfounded.

I gotta say I was a little unnerved by that encounter with my team, but it was either tell them before or tell them after the race. I thought if I won that would be a hard pill to swallow after something like that. I thought I made the right decision. I thought it would all work itself out. I mean I knew they would be mad at me. But I just didn't think….

I know you're thinking my crew tried to kill me. Maybe even my best friend but the next morning when I woke up. I got a phone call that shattered my entire world.

I remember rolling out of bed fumbling around for my cell phone that wasn't where it should have been, on the night stand next to the hotel bed. I was groggy, and my throat was dry, so when I answered the phone it came out a broken raspy whisper.

"Hello." I reached up and began rubbing the back of my head. I was naked because of my previous night activities with Kensei, who was still sound asleep in the bed.

"I've been up all night." The voice drifted through the phone. It sounded pained and yet slightly angry. And each word came out slow and precise. I blinked a few times. Not recognizing the voice at first.

"Who is this?" I checked the caller ID. It read unknown caller.

"He said it was just for the sex, and at first I was okay with that." Pause from the voice and I looked at the phone with a kind of 'what the fuck' sort of face. "He was horny, I was horny."

"What?" I questioned as I began to wake up more. The voice was slowly becoming more recognizable.

"I didn't understand how you could love him, he is such a brute, but then I began to notice his touch, his voice, those lips all over my body. So, I get it now." My heart literally stopped in my chest. And I turned back to look at Kensei.

"No...no." I began chanting through the receiver, when I fully recognized the voice.

"I want him back. And I'll do anything to get him back you hear me."

"No...no." I couldn't form any other words.

"I love him. And I WILL get him back."

"No...no." I was shaking my head from side to side, and tears were forming in my eyes. Kensei was the love of my life. At least I had thought he was.

"See you on the track today King!"

**_Click!_**

* * *

><p><em>AN: I debated on whether or not to finish the chapter with the big race. But I figure you guys waited long enough. If there is a lot of typos in this I apologize. I am terribly busy and I promise to go back and fix them later when I have the time. I just figured you would want this chapter right away. I sincerely hope you enjoyed it! Hydekll_


	12. Goodnight Moon, Hello You

_A/N: Would you like to join my mindset please listen to Who you are-Jessie J_

Chapter 12 Goodnight Moon, Hello You

He stood there inside that hotel room with the phone to his ear for a long while. His heart was crushed as well as his resolve.

Since Ichigo could remember racing had been his only love, the only thing that made him truly happy. But then Kensei came along and wormed his way into his life, and somehow carved a place inside Ichigo's heart while taking over his very being and for once in the young driver's life he had put racing second.

The transition hadn't been easy at all and when it got to hard, when he had wanted to give up and give in, he had held onto Kensei like a life line. So, many times had he wanted to give into the peer pressure and deny what he was on the inside and each and every time it had been Kensei that reminded him of why he shouldn't.

He loved the Crew Chief.

What an idiot had he been.

Ichigo gripped the phone in his right hand tightly as he clamped his lips closed, grinding his teeth together. It had indeed been his twin brother on the phone. All this time he had believed that Shiro was angry because of his amazing comeback as one of Nascar's greatest drivers. Oh how wrong had he been. This whole time Shiro was mad because Ichigo had taken back what Ichigo had believed was his to begin with.

"_I love him and I WILL get him back!_" Shiro's voice rang out once more in Ichigo's mind, as the little electronic device he held so tightly in his hands slowly dropped to his side.

His lips remained pursed together as he kept both of his hands balled up in fist one squeezing his phone as a tiny tremor made its way through his body.

After a few minutes of standing in the same position for what felt like forever the two time Sprint Cup champion found himself dragging his feet on the soft plush carpeting towards the large hotel bed where his Crew Chief lay. He sat down on the corner at the head of the bed with his back to his snoring snoozing lover.

"I felt betrayed." Ichigo said out loud to Grimmjow. "But then I felt guilty for feeling betrayed."

"Why?" Asked the farmer. He had been hesitant to speak up until that moment worried that the wrong comment or word would make Ichigo clam up and not finish telling the story. He hadn't noticed that up until the second Ichigo spoke directly to him that he had in fact been holding his breath.

"Because Shiro had always come second to me." Ichigo began he paused only for a second to bite down on the corner of his lip. "Even when we were born. He was number two." Ichigo chuckled, but it was an uncomfortable one. "That's why he'd nicknamed me King. He said I was going to rule the world no matter where or what I did and he was destined to be forever in my shadow." Ichigo shook his head and looked back up at the moon. He was hurting inside that was for sure but he refused to shed anymore tears for himself or for the people in his past. "I understood somewhat how it happened between them." Ichigo began after a minute or so. "Kensei must have seen some part of me in Shiro, and Shiro must have been looking for someone to help him escape his day to day. That's what he always had done." Ichigo shook his head again and the farmer assumed he was trying to rid himself of the bad memories. "At least that's what I told myself why they did it as I sat there on the bed."

"Worried about the race?" Kensei had woken up. I shook my head to his question. "Then what is it. Why are you just sitting there like that?"

Truthfully, I had been sitting there debating my options. And at that moment I had seriously considered forgetting the phone call from my brother all together. Because truthfully if Kensei wanted to be with Shiro why had he come back to me. But then when I heard the voice of the man that brought me back to life after I nearly lost everything. I knew I couldn't pretend that he hadn't had a relationship with my brother who was now in love with him.

"I'm trying to figure out, what to do with….with my feelings for you." I finally said. So many things I could have opened up with and I chose that.

"You're feelings for me?" Kensei questioned before sitting up and grabbing my left wrist. "Hey, what's going on kid?"

His right arm went around my waist and my head dropped my shoulders slumped and the phone I had been still clutching in my right hand fell to the white carpeted floor with a soft thud.

"Kid ya got me worried. Did someone call ya?" He asked and I nodded. Not trusting my own voice. I wasn't sad, I felt betrayed, I felt angry at Shiro, at Kensei, at myself.

"Tell me my Crew Chief." I looked at the silver haired man in my bed over my shoulder. "Do you love my twin the way that he claims he loves you?"

If Kensei had been half asleep at that moment he was wide awake then. His eyes shot open and his grip on my wrist and waist got tighter.

"Shit!" He breathed out in a whisper. "Who told ya kid?"

Out of all the things he could say in that moment. Out of all the questions he could have asked me he chose to say and ask that. They say actions speak louder than words, well I can tell you in that moment. His words spoke volumes to me.

The crushing sensation inside my own chest. The ringing sound as the alarms went off inside my head.

"I'm with you kid." He said and I swear when I choked out a sarcastic laugh, I had been choking out the hypocrisy of the situation and his words.

"What did you do next Tiger?" Grimmjow asked breaking into the driver's narrative. He was hanging onto Ichigo's every word.

"Nothing." Ichigo spoke the word with finality and there was no life breathed into the word. No emotion coating it, no pain, no heartache. There was nothing there, just like the meaning of the very word itself.

"I guess I could have thrown some shit around, broke a couple of items. Called him a few choice words, called him out for the asshole he was but…." Ichigo continued on with his narrative. " I grew so numb inside, so cold in that instance when he said "I'm with you kid." And all I wanted was to be as far away from him as reasonably possible."

I threw on some sweats and headed out. I walked around down near the beach in Daytona and although I called the city my home. I lived clear across town and on race mornings it would have been a nightmare trying to get back over to the track. I really had nowhere to go, my entire crew was pissed with me including my best friend. Chad was not an option, he was married, and he and his wife shared a single room. Gin was also the same story. Yeah, shocking I know someone actually married him. So, I ended up sleeping over with...

"No, Tiger you didn't?" Grimmjow cut in. And there was denying the disbelief in the farmer's words. "You didn't go to Ginjou did you?"

"I didn't have to, he came to me. Ginjou had been out by the beach and we….he" Ichigo tried to finish what he was going to say but Grimmjow cut in once again. He was sitting straight up and his body was tense. He looked over at Ichigo with disapproving eyes and the driver felt like a child under that gaze.

"You know Ichigo. I can understand a lot of stuff you told me up till this point but if you-" Ichigo put a hand up to silence the farmer.

"Relax I didn't, Ginjou just gave me a place to crash for the night." Grimmjow relaxed up against the wall. "But Shiro came by that morning to talk to Ginjou about his car and saw me there."

"Well shit!" Said the farmer, knowing exactly what happened next not really needing Ichigo to tell him.

Yeah, shit is exactly what I found myself knee deep in. Kensei found out about my being in Ginjou's room before I even got to the track that morning. He tried to ask me about it. But when I saw how hurt he looked. I-I just couldn't tell him the truth, I wanted him to feel what I was feeling.

Hurt and betrayed.

So I let him go on believing the lie, circulated by my twin.

That night when I strapped myself into my car for the championship race my mind was cloudy and conflicted. Two things you don't want to be while driving on a track such as Daytona's.

And then there was the minor but not so minor issue of the crew that I entrusted with my very life. I glanced over at the men who worked on my car questioning the decisions that I made up until that moment.

My over the wall crew was throwing daggers at me with their eyes. Shuhei wouldn't even look at me, and Kensei looked how I felt inside. Save for one minor emotion.

Fear.

But I had one person, the one that had arguably the most important job that day. The only one I was still on good terms with by the start of the race, my spotter Chad. And of course he was completely oblivious to how bad our situation had gotten in the past 24 hours.

"Now it's time for those most famous words in all of motor sports." The voice over the loud speaker spoke. Grabbing our attention. My feet went for the clutch and break pedals and my right hand for the stick shift. "Here is your Grand Marshall for this evening five time grammy award winning country artist Farin Cheyenne."

She crooned the first word and yelled the rest.

"Driiiivers. START YOUR ENGINES!" I flicked the switch and my car roared to life, the vibration from the engine sent adrenaline surging through my body. All the familiar smells of the inside of my car my dashboard and all it's gauges glowing that familiar tangerine orange, as I sat there snug, strapped in, tight inside my race car. My purple full faced helmet with gold flames on the side blocking those that wished me ill will from my vision. And as someone from my crew put my window net up, I found myself zoning out.

I had started in third place that night. My qualifying run the previous day had been amazing. The car wasn't tight at all, but it also wasn't too loose. I've raced and practiced on the Daytona track so often, I knew it better than the back of my own hand.

See what ya got to understand Blue, is that in Nascar each track is completely different from the next. They are also different when you drive on them during the day versus when you drive on them at night. But an experienced driver such as myself knows all that stuff already. And I also know all the adjustments that needs to be made on my car, so I could run successful races. This is why I was one of the best in the game.

So, when the race began I could feel something wasn't right with my car. It was too tight I had trouble on the curves and it felt like my tires were plowing into the asphalt.

"It's tight." I spoke into the piece.

"10-4." Came Kensei's voice. "Hang in there kid, we'll loosen you up on the next pit stop."

"10-4." Generic and dry reply from myself. The sound of Kensei's voice made me cringe on the inside as the last remnants of my sanity slowly began to slip away from me. Speaking of slipping, I came into turn number 3 on lap 47 out of 200 way too loose allowing three other cars to pass me falling back to fourth.

"Kurosaki what was that?" Asked Kensei and my jaw clenched closed tightly and I found myself holding my breath to keep from crying as I made a mental promise to not let what was happening to me ruin my chance at winning the Sprint Cup championship a third time. "Kurosaki….Kurosaki?"

"Opening Ichigo! 99 is going to take the outside." Chad's voice on the scanner, had me relaxing slightly. "So you take the inside track." He chanted. "Clear." He notified me. "Inside...Inside." And I maneuvered to the inside as I went around turn three. And just as expected 99 tried to keep his speed up by swinging to the outside allowing me to speed right past him on the inside. "Great job Bro!" Chimed Chad.

Chad was an old gang buddy of my twin's and he had an extremely dry personality. So for him to say Great job took a lot of effort on his part. He must have sensed that something wasn't right with me that evening.

"Yes that's it kid, speed on the straightway. Keep that up." Kensei's voice again, and I gripped the steering wheel. "Ease it up, on the turn just enough to not spin out on the-"

"10-4" I said cutting off my Crew Chief. I couldn't understand what game he was playing at. I knew Kensei was professional, but no one was that damn professional.

"99's trying to catch ya!" Chad's voice again.

I held third place as best I could then I went in for a pit stop, they made adjustments to my car but it didn't seem to help in fact it got worse and my car got slower.

"Shit's still tight." I complained into the headpiece.

"Just hang in there kid." Calmly stated by Kensei.

"You said that shit the last time." I spat back as I hit the second curve and struggled to turn my car, losing two positions as I had to slow to keep from running into the high embankment, concrete wall. "I can't win this race, when my car is acting this fucking shitty."

The next pit stop my car only got tighter, the heat from the engine was starting to make me worry and I fell two more places.

"My car was fine yesterday during the qualifier." I gritted out with slight venom in my voice. Remembering exactly the ease I had when driving the track before telling my entire crew they had to look for new jobs.

"Ichigo I don't know what you're sugges-" Kensei began.

"They're that pissed with me that they would fuck with my car like this. Fucking with my car, is like fucking with MY LIFE!" I was fuming. My life was falling apart in so many ways and that was the very thing I had been trying to avoid the day before.

"Ichigo you know their is a difference in the track from day to-." My crew chief tried to offer a suggestion but I cut him off.

"IT'S NOT THE FUCKING TRACK DON'T INSULT MY INTELLIGENCE!" I roared into the headpiece, forgetting that any and everybody could be listening in on our conversation. Another perk of Nascar.

"Okay Kid." He was calm. He was so fucking calm and it was so unnerving and aggravating.

As I shifted on a curve it felt as though my transmission was sticking and I heard the grinding first before I felt my car jerk forward and it was then I knew for sure, they had indeed fuck with my car. Kensei spoke once more in my ear. "If you don't trust them, then trust me. I will personally-'

"HA! TRUST _YOU_!"

"Yes trust me! I've never betrayed your trust, not in the way you've betrayed mine." Kensei tried to explain himself at the most lousiest fucking time ever. And just then Chad decided to enter the conversation.

"20's coming for ya." Chad instructed. "Inside...inside."

"It's tight." I reminded my spotter.

"I know. Clear." He said blandly. I took the inside of the track with much difficulty and 20 had to slow from hitting my left side back bumper. "When you hit the curves go as far inside as you can, then you'll glide to the outside." Instructed Chad.

"10-4."

"20's still coming for ya, he's on new tires." Called Kensei.

"10-4." My reply.

"There was a wreck behind you Ichigo, Caution flag-pace car's out." Chad said.

I breathed a momentary sigh of relief. Whenever there is a hazard on the track they send out a car that drives at a slower speed, that you have to follow behind until it is safe to resume the race. Most always, drivers who need major adjustments to their cars take that time to get the work done. I wanted to use that time to calm myself down. But no such luck.

"We're bringing you in, try to loosen you up." Kensei said. "Pits are now open."

"I don't want them inside the hood of my car. Hell I don't even want them changing my tires."

"Ichigo, I'll supervise it."

"I don't trust you either." I was so angry at that point and frustrated beyond belief. How had my life gone so terribly wrong. I get it maybe I shouldn't have fired my entire crew but what else was I supposed to do let them continue going on disrespecting me, not listening to me when I tell them certain adjustments needed to be made to my car.

I pulled into pit row, behind my brother's royal blue car. The crew got busy on the car. I could hear the whirring of the machines as the car moved up and down from one side to the other. Changing my tires. The hood of my car came up obstructing my view from my brother.

"Wanna tell me what's going on between you and Ginjou?" Kensei asked. I began to grit and grind my teeth. Gripping the steering wheel. I wanted out of pit row so bad. How long had I sat there. I was only half way through the race. "Look at me kid!" I narrowed my eyes and turned my head. "TELL ME!" He commanded.

"Nope!" I said calmly. Boy was the fans getting the show of their lives on my radio station.

My crew chief had been leaning on the bar of the pit box platform. Looking down into my car. His right hand was up, covering his mouth. But I could see it in his eyes as he went from sad and hurt, to angry and vengeful.

"Ichigo?" Kensei began. "You shouldn't piss off your Crew Chief you little shit!"

"Well Kensei you shouldn't go fuck you're Drivers competition.?" I spat out, sly smile on my face because of my witty come back. Completely forgetting the situation I was in. He had been right you don't go piss off your Crew Chief especially not during a race.

Kensei dropped his hand, his eyes narrowed and then he slowly stood up, quirking an eyebrow in my direction. The overhead lights on pit row shined down on him as if he had been standing in a spotlight.

"Well what was I supposed to do, sit around and wait while you untwisted your fucking panties." He said.

"No more than I was suppose to wait around till you figured out if you were in love with me or my twin!" Just then Shuhei dropped the hood of my car, his mouth hanging open as he stepped out of the way. He was my car chief so of course he was wearing a headset and heard the entire conversation. The Jackman whose only job is to jack my car up for tire changes, dropped my car signaling for me to take off from pit row.

"Listen kid…" Kensei began.

"FUCK YOU! HE CAN HAVE YOU FOR ALL I CARE!" I sped off, tires spinning wildly spitting out pure thick heavy white smoke.

"ICHIGO!"

"You're were a lousy fucking lay anyway!"

"You little shit!"

Shuhei took over Crew Chief duties after that, while Kensei took over his job.

You know what you're supposed to do during a nasty break up. You watch other people go through the same thing and you say that if you were ever put in that situation you would handle it differently. The truth is when the spotlight is on you, all rationality goes out the fucking window.

I've been racing since I was old enough to write and spell my own name on the racing forms. And I knew that if you were ever going to smile in someone's face and kiss there ass just to backstab them later, Nascar race day is that place and time. These people had my life in their hands and I depended on them wholeheartedly to do their jobs correctly. The problem is I don't have it in me to smile in a person's face, when I'm angry at with them, when you piss me off you're gonna know it.

My last pit stop of the night I was supposed to get four tire changes and fuel. I pulled off pit row and I knew instantly something wasn't right. The car wasn't gripping the track like it should when it has had four new tires put on it. Furthermore my car was loose. Having a tight car is bad but having a car that is too loose and bald tires, is worse. The sound of my engine and the way my car slided on the track as I came out of pit row, it was as if my car was talking to me telling me she was sick.

"What's your water temperature?" Shuhei had asked. I hadn't even thought to check that. I looked down and checked the gauge. I hadn't been in any wrecks so I was shock to see that the car was running hot.

"It's hot."

"Shit! Turn on your fans." Shuhei commanded. "You don't have anymore pit stops Ichigo."

We were down to the final laps of the race.

"You'll be fine just keep moving. Slow it down." Shuhei instructed.

"Okay man I know you just started this Crew Chief gig. But you don't tell the driver to slow down." I said to my friend, not sure if I could even call him that anymore.

"43 is coming up on your right." Chad spoke into my ear. "Still there. Still there."

"Listen to me man. Slow down." Shuhei said once more. "You've got 20 laps and you're in fifth."

"Shiro's coming for ya. Left side." Said Chad. My heart thumped hard inside my chest and I gripped the steering wheel. And Shu's warnings went right out the window. As I picked up the pace.

"Ichigo! Ichigo! Slow down man!" Shuhei's words barely registered to me.

My brother had known that I had been in a relationship with Kensei and he knowingly had a relationship with him. He had never won a championship before and if I had my way he wasn't going to win one on that day.

I can remember so vividly passing the start finish line as the lights shined down on me from the grandstands, while I glided into turn one. It all happened so fast that I still don't know what actually happened first. Maybe they both occurred at the same time.

My left rear tire which should have been brand new blew out as Shiro clipped me on that side spinning out my car.

The right side back bumper hit the high embankment and I struggled inside the car to take back control but then my steering column completely locked up as my engine blew. My heart sank inside my chest because Kensei had been the last person underneath the hood of my car.

The steering wheel unlocked and the wheel began spinning erratically. I turned the car hard left, then right as the wheel continued to spin out of control. And if that wasn't bad enough my twin brother was still gunning for me. He had slowed down at first and I foolishly thought it was because he was trying to avoid colliding with me again. As my car began screeching down the track sideways spitting out fire from the back tires and white smoke from the engine. I got a tiny glimpse of my brother's golden eyes as he was heading straight for me and before he slammed into my car on the driver's side. I took my hands off the wheel and cross them over my chest and closed my eyes. The door collapsed inward pinching my left side before flipping the car. Shiro had to be going about 100 to 120 miles an hour when he finally hit me.

I was securely strapped inside the car and although the seat absorbed much of the shock and my head was restrained it still hurt like shit. Each barrel roll down the track. I could hear both Shuhei and Chad screaming in my ear. It felt like, it had been the longest moments of my life as I rolled once then twice, over and over again. I didn't open my eyes but I could still hear the metal from my car as it was ripped away from it's frame after each barrel roll down that track. And then-

Ichigo stopped and by that time his tears were flowing freely. Grimmjow had his arm wrapped around his shoulder and he was looking down on the driver with much interest.

"What….what happened next Tiger?" Ichigo choked a sob and opened his mouth to speak but he couldn't get out what he wanted to say.

"I don't know….because when I finally opened my eyes again. There was you." Ichigo looked up at the blue haired farmer. Who was listening intently in on every word of what the other was saying. Grimmjow closed his mouth which had been hanging open and swallowed the lump inside his throat. "And then you told me the world had ended."

"I'm sorry Tiger." And the farmer sounded genuine. Which was all Ichigo could really ask for.

"I"ll never get answers. Not for sure anyways." Ichigo dangled his arms over his knees and lowered his head. "What am I suppose to do with this?" He asked of Grimmjow, himself of no one.

Grimmjow clicked his tongue and looked up at the moon. He placed his left hand on the back of Ichigo's neck and then ran his fingers northward racking them through the soft orange tresses. Ichigo's shoulders began to shake, and a ragged sigh left those soft lips. Grimmjow assumed in that moment that the other was crying. He wasn't a shrink, wasn't a counselor and he had never been betrayed in such a way so he had nothing to go on. Nothing to offer his lover in an attempt to console him.

"In the great green room, there was a telephone and a red ballon and a picture of the cow jumping over the moon." Grimmjow's voice was a ragged whisper. He didn't know if his words were reaching the other. He didn't know if they helped at all. He only hoped they would. He continued.

_And there were three little bears sitting on chairs_

_And two little kittens and a pair of mittens_

Ichigo's shoulders stop shaking and his head came up he slowly sat back leaning his body up against Grimmjow instead of the wall. He wrapped his arm around the smaller male and kissed the temple exposed to his lips. Before whispering the children's story that had comforted him on so many restless nights so long ago, into the driver's ear.

_Goodnight light and the red balloon_

_Goodnight bears Goodnight chairs_

The crickets had gone quiet as the sounds of approaching Aliens grew nearer. Soft vibrations in the earth told the two it was no longer safe to sit outside. No more time for telling stories and revisiting the past. But the farmer continued reciting his story and only when his lover's breathing began to slow to normal. Did he stop. The story had been near its end, and the farmer stood up extending a hand to the man on the ground. Ichigo took it without hesitation, as the farmer pulled him to his feet.

Grimmjow brought the other close to his body and held his face in his. He searched his face as the screeching grew louder and the ground trembled with a noticeable and fearful vibration. But he wasn't worried about the Aliens not like how he was worried about Ichigo.

It felt like forever to the farmer when the driver finally decided to offer a smile. Ichigo wrapped his arms around Grimmjow's waist before stepping to him to plant his lips firmly on his and when they parted Ichigo spoke in an almost inaudible whisper.

_Goodnight stars Goodnight air_

_Goodnight noises everywhere_

Grimmjow nodded in agreement. And they walked inside the Harley Davidson together knowing that tomorrow the real fight would begin, the fight for their survival.

* * *

><p><em>AN: Sorry for the typos I'll fix them when I get a free moment. Hope you enjoyed the little flashback now let's get back to some Aliens. _


	13. Family Ties

**A/N** _Saying it's been a long time would be an understatement. Missed me? Don't answer that let's just get right to it shall we._

_Join my mindset. Marching On-OneRepublic_

Chapter 13 Family Ties

"Well Skee Wee!" Said Shinji.

"Hot Dawg!" Shouted Renji.

"Would you two idiots lower your voices." Chastised Grimmjow.

And Ichigo only chuckled. And within seconds the other three joined in. Their laughter bounced off the walls and echoed throughout the room. They should have been worried that their human sounds would carry to the outdoors, but for those few moments they chose not to care; to live carefree.

The laughter died down, and a silence rolled over the room as the men looked from one face to another. Renji exhaled loudly before he spoke.

"Sorry." He said sincerely. Looking like a child that had just been scolded by his parent. His lower lip poked out and he lowered his head. Ichigo opened his mouth to speak, to tell his friend there was nothing to apologize for. But he was silenced by a long drawn out screech. The sound shook the front windows of the motorcycle shop, and bounced off the walls. Ichigo felt the tiny vibrations against his eardrums but found that the pain that should have followed to be nonexistent.

They all turned their heads in the direction of the screech, and held their breaths, and after what felt like the longest minute of their lives, they breathed out a sigh of relief.

"Just passing through." Grimmjow offered in explanation, lowering his weapon that he instinctively reached for, to the floor.

The screeching outside did not die down and it only continued to get louder as the ground continued to tremble.

The Harley Davidson they were in had two floors and currently they were on the lower level hiding in the far back of the store in the women's clothing section.

Shinji had been laid down on a pile of clothes. He was practically nude, except for his silk black and red checkered boxers. And the left side of his body was practically covered in bandages. The white gauze covered his lower thigh, part of his torso, and up to his neck. His left cheek was bright red and boiled up so much so that his left eye was squinted closed, as silent involuntarily tears fell from his eyes. When the young man with the shiny blonde hair noticed the driver looking at him. He gave him a shaky smile. It wasn't as wide and toothy, which Ichigo had become so accustomed too, and for this he was sad.

Renji was sitting back on his legs right at his lover's side, looking down on his long time mate.

"So ya are em'?" Asked Renji a certain calmness lined his words, as he looked at the driver, wanting more clarification of an already known fact.

Ichigo was more than happy to answer the question again, even though he had answered three times before.

"Yeah I'm dat guy."

"Hole E shit!" Shinji said in a half excited whisper. He winced and shifted on the floor, from his over exertion of happiness. But he continued to speak, once his pain subsided. "We thought ya were a goner when da ambalance took ya off ta track."

"Nope I'm right here. Not a scratch on me." Ichigo held out his arms wide for emphasis, before dropping them again.

"Man dat was sum pretty foul shit ya brotha did to ya." Renji said, and Ichigo felt his heart inside his chest sink to the pit of his stomach. "I mean it was pretty obvious he dumped ya-"

"So, Shiro did dump me?" Ichigo asked of Renji. Now it was his turn to get clarification. He had half hoped up until that moment, that what had happened on the track was indeed a mishap of Daytona racing. But that hope and dream was minuscule at best.

"Oh yeah dat's right ya don't know. You've been in a coma all dis time." Renji said, his eyes the size of saucers. Ichigo gave a nod of his head to the red head hunter.

The man with the red hair nervously scratched the back of his head before lowering it. He looked down at Shinji who shrug his shoulders nonchalantly.

"Well all we know is dat Nascar was looking into it. That friend of yers wouldn't it let it go." Renji said to Ichigo while still looking at Shinji.

"Friend?" Ichigo questioned. Could it be, who he thought it could be.

"Yeah da guy who was ya car chief and then took over for yer crew chief when ya-."

"Shuhei!" Ichigo cut in half excited, half skeptical.

"Dat's em." Renji snapped his fingers and pointed his index finger at Ichigo.

"Well what-what did Shuhei do?" Ichigo moved so that he was sitting opposite of Renji on the other side of Shinji and Grimmjow sat right next to him.

"Well Shoe-A, thought dat some foul play may have occurred-"

"Not dat everybody didn't tink it already." Shinji chimed in and all eyes went to him. He gave a half pained smiled. "Well shit Ichi dat was sum cray-zee scanner talking you were doing race day."

"Well dat Shoe-A" Renji cut back in. "Hounded Nascar officials to look into it. And on top of dat he took charge of all yer hospital stuff. He wouldn't let anybody visit ya."

"Shiro?" Ichigo questioned.

"Not even em." Both Renji and Shinji gave a single nod. "Shoe-A was like yer unofficial guard dog."

"So, what happened did Nascar figure out what happened. What about my father my twin-"

"Whoa dare." Renji put up his hands, to stop Ichigo from bombarding him with questions. "Never got dat far." He said.

"Why?" Ichigo questioned, he was appalled. Why would Nascar drop such an important investigation.

"Because da lizards showed up a week afta ya accident."

And then reality sunk back in. The lizards, the Screechers, the Aliens.

"Oh yeah them." Ichigo said in a defeatist tone. Just when he thought he was going to get his questions answered he came up short handed once more. And he was left with nothing, but more questions.

The screeching grew louder and the oil lantern that had been lit, was extinguished by Grimmjow and the four males found themselves in complete darkness, with only the sounds of their uninvited planet guests to soothe them.

That night Renji found himself running his fingers through Shinji's hair in an effort to soothe him and keep the burned man from crying out in pain, as the remaining painkillers he had taken began to work there way out of his system.

Ichigo leaned up against a wall, as Grimmjow laid his head in his lap. The farmer snuggled up with his military grade gun like a child would with its teddy bear as his lover ran his fingers through his hair. And soon he was fast asleep.

The screeching was loud as ever, and the vibration of the earth told Ichigo that they were right outside the Harley Davidson. Renji and Grimmjow were asleep now, so comfortable were they to the danger. And Ichigo wondered if it hadn't been for the obvious pain Shinji was in, if he too would be asleep.

So, the orange haired driver sat there on full alert unable to close his weary eyes. His thoughts running in over drive.

In the morning when the sun rose over the two story stone building. Ichigo found his body to be full of tension and a renewed sense of life. He had finally decided to let go of his past once and for all, resigned to the fact that he would never get answers and that dwelling on them would only cause him further heartache and grief.

"How ya sleep Tiger?" Grimmjow sat up, he had fallen asleep in Ichigo's lap without really meaning to.

"Great." Ichigo's reply and a bold face lie. Grimmjow looked at the driver sideways and then clicked his tongue.

"Liar." Ichigo quirked and eyebrow and then a sly smile.

"How'd ya know?" He asked his lover. And the farmer shook his blue head.

"Now why would I tell you my secret?" He asked laughing. He rustled the driver's hair before standing up to stretch out his tired body. "But ya need ta get rest yer no use to us during the day if you're tired." He said looking down at the driver, who was looking up at him sideways.

Ichigo nodded solemnly after a beat.

"So won't we be followed if we take cars?" Ichigo asked as he swung his black pack over his shoulder. They were heading out no need to delay their trip further, that's what they agreed upon.

"Not during the day, and not if we are careful." Grimmjow stated. He was standing next to Ichigo as Renji helped an extremely tender Shinji put on a black Harley Davidson Jacket. The young hunter couldn't tolerate much besides some gray sweats, a t-shirt and the black windbreaker, but seeing how the autumn weather would not be in their favor the further they travelled north Renji had insisted.

"Dey don't like ta come out during da day our sun hurd em." Renji stated.

"Okay, I get that but what about the few that do come out during the day? What if we're spotted by one-" Ichigo began rambling off and Grimmjow put a hand up to silence him.

"Whoa there Tiger? If that happens then we will do what we always do."

"Run," Ichigo offered.

"Kill da fuckers!" Renji interjected.

"Fry em up an eat em like roadkill on thanksgiving." Shinji offered.

Grimmjow snapped and then pointed his finger at Shinji. "Uhm no. But thanks for the input man. Actually what Renji said is a pretty good idea. One isn't that big of a deal, and if we come across more, than we'll handle it. We are a group now, we are not alone. We'll be fine so long as we stick together yeah?" Everyone nodded and spoke their words of agreement.

"Besides wuz the rush?" Renji asked, thinking out loud.

The small band of friends were now walking out of the Harley Davidson. "It took me all this time to find Shinji because I didn't rush ta get here. If I rushed then I would be dead."

"An we got Ich, who can scout for us." Shinji spoke out.

"Scout?" Ichigo questioned.

"Make sure our way is safe, before we travel the path." Grumbled out Grimmjow, it was obvious that although he appreciated the input, he did not like the idea. Not in the slightest.

* * *

><p>The sun was serene as it delved lower in the sky, going to bed for the night making way for the moon to take it's place. And it was a cloudless sky painted in pretty shades of orange and blue…..<p>

_Ok Ichigo you can do this, Clutch, gas, feel it…..feel it._

Ichigo was going over the steps inside his own head. He had tried drifting for fun, but he never had put much thought or effort into learning it seriously. After all that style of driving was very new or had been very new to the motor sports world.

Currently he was being pursued by a group of very large and might I add very hungry Screechers. And for the fourth time that month he had to be parted from a very agitated and worried Grimmjow. But what else was Ichigo supposed to do. He was extremely skilled and fast in the Mustang and he most always got away. But now he was wondering if he was actually going to get away and make it back to his makeshift family.

He counted more than a dozen Aliens in his rearview mirror and as he came up to another intersection there was another swarm waiting for him. His eyes rolled around in their sockets as he continued to try and remember his extremely limited drifting training.

_Emergency brake, hard left_

The car jerked violently and he lost speed as he drifted to the right and through the intersection rolling over a very large bump causing the car to fly up in the air if only momentarily. He looked out of his passenger side window seeing the scaly legs of one of the Aliens realizing he had to have run over it's foot. And before his brain could fully catch up with his current predicament the roof of his tiny Mustang was ripped away.

_Holy shit! I'm in trouble._

He didn't look up, no he didn't have the time. His head jerked forward as he sped off. The wind was in his long orange hair, as it blew wildly about his head. He was beginning to regret growing it out.

He heard a long drawn out screech from behind and the sound vibrated his chest and brought a tear of fear to the corner of his eye. He wiped away the offending liquid.

He was in serious danger.

And as he continued to drive away, he found it more difficult to maneuver the car as the ground began to tremble bouncing the car up and down.

"Shit!" The young driver breathed out under his breath. "Fuck my life." He said more than pissed off. He reached over into the passenger seat for his small hand gun, with a roll of his chocolate brown eyes and a shake of his head. He placed the weapon in his blue jean lap.

It has been two months since Renji and Shinji entered his and Grimmjow's life. Two months since Grimmjow and Shinji got hurt and two months since Ichigo got his memories back. He loved his friends, he loved his lover and he couldn't imagine living this life without them.

Renji was reckless, dangerous and sometimes clueless, but he loved Shinji and he cared about Ichigo and Grimmjow like they were his own flesh and blood. Like they were his brothers.

Shinji who made a complete recovery from the burns that partially disfigured the left side of his body and his left jaw and cheek, was kind, smart, one hell of a shot and was always the voice of reason in their tiny family.

And Grimmjow not enough words could explain, all that Blue was to Ichigo. To Ichigo he was truly everything. The calming voice among the noise. The light in the darkness. His sun, his stars, his moon, literally his entire world. And what sucked the most about Ichigo's current situation was that if he died that moment, that night, Grimmjow would never know that's how he felt.

Ichigo found his chest tightening and he bit down on his bottom lip. Checking his rearview mirror. He was losing the group. And he almost breathed a sigh of relief. That was until he looked forward and found that he was approaching yet another group of Screechers. And as they formed a line blocking the road….

"GIVE ME A FUCKING BREAK!" He screamed. Pounding on the steering wheel.

This was a residential area of the small Virginia city he was in. They were nice houses, gated off houses. And he only took the time to notice because he was busy trying to avoid the collision he was heading for.

He was swearing and praying under his breath all at the same time. A loud beep in the passenger seat drew his attention. It came from his military grade walkie talkie he had all but forgotten about.

"Tiger where ya at?" It was Blue. Ichigo closed his eyes and shook his head and thought.

_Great, just great._

He was getting closer to his enemies and for some reason time began to slow down.

Beep

"Tiger?"

The Screecher's leaned forward in their best attack stance (or chow time stance depending on who you asked) and he realized something. They knew Ichigo was trapped. He couldn't very well go in the direction he came from. And the houses with their very expensive gates lined both sides of the street. Razor sharp claws popped out, long and sharp three on each hand. Mouths open revealing razor sharp teeth. And Ichigo could remember all to well the first time he saw these things how utterly afraid he had been. But not anymore.

Ichigo breathed in and had a fleeting thought.

_Just pick a direction and go with it_.

He closed his eyes.

_Well left turns are always a Nascar driver's best friend…._

He turned the car a hard left and floored it, shifting up and ducking his head down and to the right. He was going to make impact whether it meant life or death, he would soon find out.

Ichigo heard the crash and he felt the car bounce ten feet into the air before slamming down to the ground, sparks flying from the underside of the car. He opened his eyes and saw the very expensive house he was about to slam into. He jerked the steering wheel to the right. Shifting downwards. Missing the side of the house going right into the flower bed.

He looked in his rearview mirror at the wooden front gate that he just demolished and breathed out a sigh of relief before smiling like the fiendish devil he was. But he couldn't celebrate, no, because his friends were still in hot pursuit.

Beep.

"Tiger….now….isn't…the…time…to...ignore...me." Grimmjow enunciated every word. Ichigo knew that voice, because he had been on the receiving end of it a lot lately. That voice meant that Grimmjow was trying to control his temper.

He reached over for the device not taking his eyes off the wooden fence in the back of the nice pretty white, black shuttered house he was about to crash through.

Beep.

"Yeah Blue."

He went through the fence, as pieces of wood went flying over his very exposed head. He thanked whoever that was looking out for him that it didn't rip his head clean off.

"Where are you Tiger?" Ichigo noted that Grimmjow had his calm voice back.

"Uh ya know just taking a late afternoon stroll." Ichigo dropped the device in his lap, before turning the wheel to the right. He crashed down hard onto the asphalt of the street, leaving his back bumper in the street behind him.

"Ichigo Kurosaki! Don't fuck with me!" Grimmjow responded.

"Uh oh. I got the full name, I'm in trouble." Ichigo said jokingly. And then he looked up at the sky and realized that once Grimmjow saw the state of his Mustang, he really would be in trouble. "I'm heading to ya now Blue."

"Well get ya ass back here then."

"10-4." Ichigo replied.

Ichigo had led the Aliens away from a textile mill which was going to serve as their hiding place for the night. It was suppose to be a simple task one that he had performed many times before as the groups scout. But for some reason in this area right outside the city of Washington D.C. There were more Screechers than usual.

The young Nascar driver pulled into the textile mill a few minutes later and hopped out of the car. He was tired and hungry and his body was beginning to ache all over.

His appearance had definitely changed in the past two months. He had managed to gain about twenty pounds and now wore blue destroyed jeans with a black silver studded leather belt, black steel toe boots, white t-shirt under a black hoody, which was under his black wind breaker. His orange hair had grown out, and now reached the tip of his nose in the front and down his back touching his shoulder blades. Grimmjow liked it that way so that was how he wore it. Enough said. He rubbed his hands together which were covered by black fingerless gloves. He then blew into his cupped hands before dropping them to his side. He shrugged his shoulders as the cold November air blew past the back of his neck.

He then took the time to look over his car. Which looked like nothing more than scrap metal. The front and back bumper were gone. The front hood was crumbled up, there were scratches on the hood and both doors from Aliens trying to grab at him. And now the roof of the car was gone. He turned up his face as he placed his hand gun in the small of his back. He reached inside the car for his walkie shoving it into his pocket. Before getting his back pack and his M-16.

Ichigo stood back and sucked his teeth folding his arms over his chest. He had no idea how he was going to explain the car to the farmer. And he wasn't about to get the time to come up with a good story either. Because he heard the hard clonking of those familiar boots before he heard the familiar gruff voice.

"WHAT….THE….FUCK!" Grimmjow's voice had sounded off somewhere behind Ichigo. And the young driver found his eyebrows shooting skyward. He turned his torso and looked at Grimmjow over his shoulder with a nervous smirk.

His blue haired lover wore the most horrific expression on his face as he looked at the once beautiful silver machine. He hadn't the time to appreciate the shave the farmer had managed in his absence.

"Well you know how I always wanted a convertible right?" Ichigo said, truthfully it was the first thing to come to mind. He ended his sentence with a nervous chuckle. Grimmjow's face fell and he looked over at Ichigo, with a serious expression on his face. Ichigo swallow the lump inside his throat, and at the corner of his mouth, began a nervous twitch.

"This is funny to you?" Grimmjow asked pointing to the car. Ichigo didn't trust his own voice so he shook his head from side to side like an innocent child. "What happened?"

"You don't want to know?" Ichigo said, deciding this conversation should never happen. Turning to walk in Grimmjow's direction, he almost walked past his lover.

Grimmjow grabbed him by his shoulders before he could, and planted him in place. Ichigo dropped his bag and gun to the ground out of shock. As the strong calloused hands of the farmer ran down his arms, grabbing his hands and turning them over. The farmer's fingers grabbed the drivers and examined them one by one, before releasing them.

The farmer's hands ran up his slender torso, exploring, before reaching his face, holding it in place and Ichigo who had been watching Grimmjow's hands work, turned his brown eyes forward in search of blue ones. But Grimmjow was looking at his own hands as they explored the driver's body. His right hand cupped the back of Ichigo's head and his left hand fell to his back and went searching.

"I'm okay." Ichigo said, after realizing what it was Grimmjow had been doing. "I wasn't hurt, I swear."

"Ya sure?" Grimmjow asked uncertainty clouding his words. "Ya sure Tiger?" He questioned once more.

"I'm sore, but nothing more. I promise Blue." Ichigo held up his left hand as if he was swearing by his words and then he started to smile like an idiot. Grimmjow chuckled.

The farmer was in blue jeans, those now familiar black boot and green tattered jacket which was open revealing the over washed faded Superman t-shirt that he wore over a white long sleeve thermal. The farmer wanted to get rid of the t-shirt weeks ago but Ichigo had insisted he wore it for his own personal reasons.

"Tiger, I gotta say I don't like this scouting thing." The farmer questioned. He saw the downcast that had now swept over Ichigo, and he began to question his statement.

"Grimmjow I-" Ichigo began but was then cut off by a loud bang followed by an explosion.

"Uh time to go." The farmer said and it wasn't long before he and Ichigo were running towards the entrance of the textile mill.

The metal frame door clanged shut and Ichigo found his back pressed hard up against the cold metal. Grimmjow braced himself on the door with his arms on either side of Ichigo's head.

"You wanted tell me something." Screeching resounded throughout the parking lot. The sounds nearly drowned out Grimmjow's words and Ichigo felt the door vibrate as the ground began to tremble beneath his booted feet.

"Yeah, Blue I think you should know….." Ichigo's head turned to the left, his left ear now pressed firmly against the cold metal, as the Screeching grew louder. He did his best to make sure that hadn't been followed.

"Yeah?" Grimmjow nudged Ichigo along.

"I-I…." He found himself unable to remember what he wanted to say. How much he loved being a scout, having an important role in their group. No that's not what he wanted to talk about. And then it felt like the ground escaped his feet as his head banged against the door as the sound of crashing metal and an explosion, which only could be what was left of the Mustang shook the driver to his core. The Aliens were right outside the door. And yet Grimmjow didn't care.

"Spit it out Tiger!"

"Hey don't rush me." Ichigo's head turned in the direction of the farmer so fast and his brow crinkled.

"Then stop stuttering, and-" Grimmjow nudged Ichigo's chin with his knuckle. "Stop scowling."

"I'm not." He tried to fix his face but to no avail.

"Oh yeah wanna bet." Grimmjow said playfully. All while the ground bounced under their feet.

"Dare ya are." Renji said quietly as he and Shinji were walked towards Grimmjow and Ichigo with weapons at the ready.

"Skee Wee, thought da lizards made dinna outta ya." Shinji was smiling from ear to ear. "Ya think dey know we in ere?" The hunter asked.

"Naw doubt it." Grimmjow answered almost immediately standing up straight.

There was another explosion that rocked the building and shocked all the men standing around. The screeching sounded as if the Aliens were in the middle of an all out attack.

"Ya sure bout dat?" Renji asked aiming his weapon at the door.

"Ichigo?" Grimmjow questioned turning his head to his lover who was now facing the door with the small hand gun raised.

"Don't look at me. I know how not to be followed."

Ichigo's hand was reaching for the handle of the metal door when he heard a sound so familiar to him but not known to be in an abundance.

"YOU WANT A PIECE OF ME, YOU OVERGROWN REDNECK SNACK!" The voice belonged to a man. A crazy one might he add, if the half crazed laugh that followed was any indication of that fact.

There was another explosion and Ichigo swung open the door to see the fire that nearly blinded him and burned his face clear off. He fell backwards right on his back, shutting his eyes immediately but he could hear Shinji as clear as a 750 horse powered engine on race day.

"SKEE WEE! MO EW'MONS! AND LOOK YALL IT'S A GROOP OF EM!"

* * *

><p><em>Thank-you for your time in reading this chapter. Wish me luck going to write chapter 14 starting Now. Hydekll :)<em>


	14. Even if it breaks your heart

_Would you like to join my mindset of course you do listen to Some Nights-Fun. _

_Thank you for all the wonderful reviews for the last chapter they were read and appreciated. _

Chapter 14 Even if it breaks your heart

How did we get to this point in our lives, that we would unselfishly sacrifice our very lives for a total and complete stranger. I guess any sane rational human being would put their lives on the line without a moments hesitation for a stranger. But to face a monstrous beast such as those coined the name Screechers where death was almost a certainty, now why would someone do that.

There was a ringing in the ears of the former NASCAR champion as the sting from his fall worked it's way up his body. He had hit the floor rather hard. And as he fell backwards he heard Shinji's words loud and clear. There were a group of humans outside in the parking lot fighting for their lives. Engaged in an all out brawl with Screechers.

"WE GOTTA HEL…." Ichigo began to yell but his words fell into the void. As he noticed he was currently talking to himself. The other three men had already ran out into the fiery night to help the people they knew nothing about. So he scrambled to his feet, pain be damned.

Another explosion had Ichigo putting his left arm over his eyes to shield them. As his right hand clung to his military grade weapon. He ran outside into the night as bullets and fire filled the night air.

He slid to a halt somewhere between chaos and sadness. He looked up just in time to see a woman with the brightest red hair and muscular figure, kicking her legs wildly in midair and hitting nothing. As she was hoisted up her arms were pinned to her side by the claws that bound embraced her. To Ichigo it all happened in a split second, he had barely enough time to aim his weapon before the bright red hair was engulfed inside that mouth of razor sharp teeth.

Ichigo arms fell the weapon still secure in his right hand as his mouth slowly fell open aghast by what he just witnessed. The monster began to chew as the decapitated body of the unnamed female was flung to the cold earth.

"Shit." The young orange haired driver breathed out. Until that moment he had never seen this viciousness. He was told about it true, but hearing bedtime stories and seeing them in the flesh are two different things.

He had only a spilt second of sadness for the woman, before he heard a shrill cry of pain from amidst the chaos which brought him back to his senses. He shook his head to rid his mind of the horror before taking aim, and with a single shot he took out the unarmored Screecher that was still in mid chew.

"LEONE!" The scream belonged to a young woman with equally bright red hair. She fell to her knees scooping up the decapitated body of whom Ichigo could only assume meant the world to her.

It was in that moment his heart began to beat faster. It was in that moment he felt the true danger of this world. And it was in that moment he began to question all of his decisions of those past weeks. He knew the Aliens were dangerous, yes he knew that. But till that very moment as he watched the young woman coddle that lifeless headless body, he never understood Grimmjow's worried heart.

He gathered his resolved and charged on. His weapon raised, a war cry escaped his soft lips as he took off in a sprint through the parking lot. Nothing could be said of the former NASCAR driver but pure rage and determination. As he began firing in rapid succession. One Alien down then two followed by a third. He hadn't the time to look at the human faces he was saving as he allowed his rage to take over his being.

Within minutes he found himself ducking behind the burned out Mustang. His breathing was ragged and sweat fell from his brow. It was a chilly night no doubt, but with all the running and the heat coming from the mini fires throughout the parking lot it felt like the middle of summer to Ichigo.

He made a quick scan of what remained of the humans and uninvited guests. There were a handful of human bodies that scattered the parking lot. But so could be said of the Aliens. Ichigo looked harder once more to find Shinji fighting along side a pretty black woman with long purple hair that reached to the mid portion of her back. She wore tight black leather pants, a black long sleeve shirt and a green combat flak vest.

Ichigo's eyes flickered away from the duo in search of another one of his comrades. His eyes found a yodeling Renji. Yes, the redneck, red haired hunter was yodeling. This was something Ichigo learned about Renji a few weeks backs. When he was happy he yodeled.

Renji was standing next to a man with long wavy black hair. They had their backs to Ichigo as they both looked down at the armored Alien they had just taken out together. As Renji continued to yodel the man turned his gaze on the hunter and looked at him with a quizzical stare, so Renji in turn threw his back and began howled, then he started kicking his legs out from side to side while punching the air between his legs. Ichigo chuckled that was Renji always goofing off at the most inappropriate times.

His eyes continued to scan the parking lot until they fell on the blue haired farmer. He was standing over the lifeless body of a Screecher looking down at the creature. A sheen of sweat on his brow that he took the time to wipe away with the back of his hand. He was standing at the head of the lifeless monster and standing across him was a man with straggly blonde hair. The man had a five o'clock shadow and as he began to rub his chin, his brow crinkled in curiosity. He began to speak to the farmer who only nodded in turn at the man's words but what was weird was the expression Grimmjow wore on his face as he listened intently. His eyes had honed in on the man as he looked at him sideways and the farmer had switched his stance as though he was in defensive mode.

A weird suspicion fell over Ichigo, he was almost instantaneously cautious of the man. But he shook his head almost immediately dismissing the feeling as jealously not wanting to rush judgement like he had with the two hunters. He stood up from the place he had taken cover in. He had every intention of making his way over to his lover. But the blood curdling scream of the red head woman from earlier drew his attention once more. His head whipped in that direction before he could even tell it to.

His eyes all but bulged out of his head at the sight that greeted him. The woman had been snatched up by an armored Screecher. The lifeless body of her decapitated loved one, rested at the monsters feet. The woman in his clutches was screaming in agony as the socket that had once held her right arm sprouted blood into the cool crisp night air and to the ground below. Falling onto a young woman wearing pink skinny jeans and a black fleece, her hair was cut into a short blonde style, and she began to beat the hind legs of the creature with the butt of her weapon. She was out of ammo.

With one swift kick from the creature the blonde woman went flying across the parking lot.

The Alien looked at the arm in his right claw that he had just pulled from the woman's body and began to examen it. And then as if it the limb had offended the Screecher it tossed it haphazardly to the ground. His oversized claw wrapped around the woman's remaining arm and in unison the humans on the ground including Ichigo began screaming in protest.

And just like that he was darting back across the parking lot. And as Alien fire blasts lit up the sky. Ichigo raised his weapon just as the other arm was ripped from the screaming woman's body. He wasn't horrified anymore, he wasn't scared he was pissed. His finger found the trigger but before he could fire a single round, he heard the scream of a young male distance, and then more shots rang out into the night as they found their target, the hard leathery flesh of the reptilian like monster.

"THAT'S MY SISTER YOU SON OF A BITCH!." Ichigo didn't look to see where the voice was coming from as he began to fire his own rounds into the Alien. And as the monster fell to the earth the woman was still clutched firmly in it's grasp.

Ichigo lowered his weapon his breathing raspy, and his body temperature only continued to rise so he thought. And it was beginning to feel more and more like a summer night rather than a winter one.

The young man with orange hair looked up towards the peaceful star filled night sky, his face felt like it was on fire, and there was layers upon layers of dirt caked on his face. With the back of his left hand he wiped his forehead letting out a long sigh. He looked down at the hand and was shocked to see the blood that now resided there. When had his face been sprayed with blood, but their was only silence in his mind as the true horrors of the night officially sunk in.

He could hear the faint whimpers in the distance from the young man that had just lost both of his sisters. He pitied him no doubt and he could only assume that the blood that now stained his shirt, jacket and jeans were from the two young women.

"Ichigo" The deep voice in the distance called out to him ever so calmly before he felt his body being turned in the opposite direction. His sad brown eyes locked on that of serene blue. "Are you okay Tiger?"

"Yeah I'm OK, I wasn't hurt." The driver answered almost on auto pilot. He swallowed hard his mouth felt oh so dry.

"I can see that you weren't hurt Ichigo, you look….look." Grimmjow shook his head and sucked in his bottom lip. "You look fucking traumatized."

"Skee Wee Ichi! You look like yer bout ta shit ya pants!" Interjected Shinji. He walked up on Grimmjow's right side as the farmer placed his hands on either side of the driver's shoulder's.

Renji walked up and stood on Grimmjow's other side he rubbed the back of his head and began clicking his tongue on the roof of his mouth.

"Furs time is da hardest. I would tell ya iz get's easier to watch em eat somebody but dat would be a damn lie." Renji said as he shook his head.

Ichigo felt like he did the day he found out the Aliens were real. The day he realized his whole world was really gone. The only difference from that day and today is that he was no longer afraid. He was sad true, bewildered maybe, but mainly he was pissed off. A soft smile graced his thin small lips as he looked at the faces of his tiny family. They were worried about him if their current expressions were any indication of that.

"I'm okay guys honestly. It was a shock sure, but we don't have time for me to be coddled ya know?" Ichigo shrugged at the conclusion of his sentence and the other three males nodded their heads.

And then came the loud clearing of one's throat. Ichigo hadn't forgotten about the current small band of people he and his family just help save. Those other people were standing behind his family side by side.

The man Grimmjow had been talking to with pale blonde hair and green clothes step forward, he had to be the leader.

"Is it just the four of you?" He asked. Ichigo was about to open his mouth to answer until Grimmjow step forward and answered for their small group.

"Yup. Is it just…." Grimmjow began to count the remaining members of the group. "The eight of you?"

"On this scouting mission" The man began to nod his head "...yes." Ichigo was taken back by that answer. His eyebrow quirked and the side of his mouth turned up.

"You mean you're part of a bigger group?" Grimmjow asked, the question that was on the driver's mind.

"Yes a much much larger group, actually more like a community of sorts." Said the blonde man.

"Are you from Selrach?" Asked Ichigo. Grimmjow turned his head to look back at Ichigo and the look that he gave the driver told him to shut his trap. Both Renji and Shinji turned their heads back at Ichigo and shook their heads no to him.

_What the hell is going on?_

Thought the Driver.

"From where?" Questioned the blonde man in green. No one in Ichigo's group answered the question and except for the tiny rumblings in the earth and the sounds of crickets not a word was spoken. "No matter then, you will all come with us back to our humble town."

"We'll pass." Said the farmer.

"That really wasn't a request." The blonde man said that eerily sweetly.

"Cuse' me?" Renji who had been silent until that moment chose to speak. He looked offended. "We ain't got ta go nowheres wit ya. In fact I just figures out, I don truss any uh ya."

"Me toos." Spoke out Shinji. "Y'all giving me da willies."

Ichigo was really confused. Didn't they just save these same people.

The blonde man began to chuckle.

"Heaven's me where are my manners. I should have introduced myself. My name is Kiskue and this is my wife-"

"That's alright we don't need names you all go your way and we will go ours." Grimmjow gestured with his weapon for the group to leave. Kiskue quirked a brow, tilted his head ever so slightly before smiling.

"Now, Now there is no need for hostilities, our town has food, water, shelter and even electricity and we want to share all of that with you."

"Bullshit!" Spat Grimmjow the farmer shook his head. "Nah, sounds pretty fishy to me."

"Me too" Agreed Renji.

"I may be 16 cans short of a six pack, buh I know when somebody's pulling ma leg." Said Shinji.

Kiskue leaned his upper body to the right to peer between the tiny space that separated Renji and Grimmjow. He was looking at Ichigo who was completely lost as to why his friends and lover were rejecting a safe haven.

"And what do you think?" He asked of the former driving champion. "You seem to be rather skilled with that weapon we could use someone like you in our community. After all we did lose two of our finest."

"He's not interested." Grimmjow stepped to the left completely blocking Ichigo from view.

"Actually I didn't ask you. I asked him."

"Doesn't matter he ain't going anywhere with you." Grimmjow's jaw clenched and Ichigo could hear the man grinding his teeth.

Chuckle from Kiskue.

"Well have it your way." Kiskue He turned away as if he and his group were about to leave. Grimmjow turned around to look at Ichigo as did Shinji and Renji. They had a look on their faces as if they just dodged a bullet. Grimmjow opened his mouth to speak but before he could utter a word. He heard Kiskue's command.

"Take them." He uttered those words with ease.

The farmer and two hunters heard those two words loud and clear, and took them as the threat they were intended to be and the three, whipped around so fast with their weapons raised ready to defend their freedom.

And once more that night, Ichigo found himself listening to the sounds of human screams and gunfire.

"I want them alive!" Kiskue's words between the shots.

What the hell was going on? Why were they fighting each other? This made no sense to Ichigo had he missed something important.

"ICHIGO!" Renji drew his attention, keys were flung his way and he nearly dropped his weapon to the ground. "YOU DRIVE!" Ichigo turned on his heels and started running towards the pick up truck. He only hoped that his family was right behind him.

He jumped into the driver's seat slamming and locking the door behind him. He fumbled with the keys and ignition for what seemed like forever before the engine roared to life. He turned his head to look out the driver's side window and in a split second the window was shattered by something black and metallic. He ducked his head down near the steering wheel banging his forehead on the horn in the process.

_What's happening?_

The tiny voice inside his head asked. He was so confused and his heart was beating triple time.

He heard the slam from the passenger's side door and before he could look to see who jumped in the seat beside him.

He heard Shinji yell.

"DRY! ICHI! DRY!"

He threw the truck in gear and skidded out of the parking lot. He floored it as he made a hard left.

"Blue, Ren?" Ichigo breathed out looking in his rearview.

"In da back." Answered Shinji.

"What the hell was that?" Ichigo asked.

Shinji shook his head.

"Dey weird. Just be glad we got away unscathed." Said the blonde hunter. Ichigo began to nod in agreement until he felt a sharp burning pain in his lower left abdomen. The pain was almost blinding. He chomped down hard on his left cheek by accident drawing blood. But he didn't feel the pain from it as his jaws began to tremble. All he could feel was the pain from his gut. He drove a little further until he just couldn't take it anymore. He let out the breath and scream he had been holding in.

"AGHHHHH!" He yelled out. Slamming on the breaks, sending Shinji into the dashboard. Ichigo was so caught up in his own pain he hadn't noticed the headlights that were slowly gaining on the truck.

"HOLE E SHIT, ICHI YA WANNA EM TA CATCH US?"

Ichigo hunched over grabbing his side. His breathing picking up.

"WHAT YA DOING JERKING OFF. DRY DAMMITT!" Shinji continued to scream at Ichigo.

There was banging on the back window from the truck bed passengers.

"ICHIGO!" Came Grimmjow's voice.

"I can't." Whispered Ichigo.

"What?" Shinji questioned. He was beginning to realize something wasn't right with the driver.

"Shin, I've been hit."

* * *

><p>AN: Hi!


	15. Strength

_Would you like to join my mindset sure you would listen to Eyes Open- Taylor Swift_

**Chapter 15 Strength**

The young driver, felt the blood drain from his face, the road look hazy and all he could think about in that moment was sleep. Strange as that maybe.

He shook his head, and somehow his right hand found the steering wheel. His foot found the clutch. He had barely the strength to push down on it as his warm blood ran through his fingers dripping down his front, mixing with the blood that already stained his clothes.

He found the shifter and was going to shift into drive, his family needed him and he wasn't going to let them down. Even if he was moving as slow as molasses.

His door swung open before he could put the car in gear. The cool night air hitting his left cheek woke him up slightly before warm hands cupped both of his cheeks. Making his eyes droop once more. He had no idea where he was, or where he was going. He just wanted to sleep.

"Tiger!" Grimmjow's voice sounded garbled. "NO...NO….NO!"

He was being hoisted out of the car and then laid on the ground. His shirt was lifted up and he felt the cool night air hit his open wound and it sent a noticeable shiver through his body. His eyes rolled to the back of his head, and a low groan escaped his lips.

"Who did this to you?" It was a question from the garbled voice of the farmer but Ichigo could tell by the sound of Grimmjow's voice that he really didn't expect the driver to answer.

And as the sensation of sleep swept over Ichigo's body, he gave into it feeling the pain subside as he began to black out.

"TIGER!" Once more the voice was garbled and it seemed so distant. "DON'T YOU DARE!" This time the voice was followed by a hard smack to his right cheek.

The world came back in sharp focus, and for a moment he had forgotten who he was.

Ichigo felt his head being laid on the hard asphalt gingerly. He focused on the sound of screeching tires and the blinding headlights. The humans had caught up with them. Grimmjow stood up slowly his face portraying the rage he felt with in.

"YOU HURT HIM, I'M GONNA KILL YA!" Grimmjow was in a rage that Ichigo had never witnessed before. The farmer's entire body shook from anger. He pulled his hand gun from the small of his back where it had rested in his waist band. He held it a low ready as he scanned the crowd for Kisuke.

"U hurd Ichi iz on now!" Shinji gritted out he was standing tall behind Ichigo's head as he chambered a round into his military grade weapon. Aiming in the direction of the group of people. They were severely outnumbered.

Sweat beads had already formed on the driver's forehead and his breathing was labored, he bit down on his lip as the pain continued to rack his body. His body was so cold and he knew it wasn't because of the crisp November night air. He was losing blood. He was dying.

"Blue." His voice was a labored whisper. But the farmer heard it all the same. Grimmjow wanted to kill something. He needed an emotional release, but at the moment Ichigo needed him more. He fell to his knees and scooped Ichigo up into his arms.

"Bl-Blue...ah ah." Ichigo was shivering as he held his hand over the wound. He had lost to much blood. He was beginning to feel light headed, but at least the pain was gone, and as his body began to jerk inside his farmer's arms. He tried desperately to get his words. "I….I.."

He heard a weapon cock and he heard the clicking of someone's tongue before he heard Renji's chilling words.

"One more step, and I swear I will put three in your chest and one between your eyes, and no I don't care about dying tonight." The red head's accent was gone as he spoke clear enunciating every word.

Once more Ichigo tried to speak but instead of words he began to cough up blood. This wasn't good.

"Shh, just hold on Tiger, Hold on." Grimmjow moved Ichigo's hand away and studied the wound again. Ichigo looked up into those blue eyes and then at that blue hair that oddly reminded him of a birthday cake. He smiled and was at peace with the knowledge that when he had first woken up in this new world Grimmjow was the first thing he saw and now he was going to be the last.

He closed his eyes and let the calm sweep over him before the blackness would take him. And before he would succumb to it he heard the desperate cry from his once caretaker turned lover.

"DON'T YOU DARE! DON'T YOU DARE ICHIGO KUROSAKI!"

* * *

><p>Times like these you find out what your really made of, so they say. They also said you find out who your real friends are…..<p>

The young man with the short spiked hair bent over in his hard back hospital chair elbows on knees hands pulling at the hair on the top of his head. His heart was in a million pieces and he knew what he should do for his own survival but what he should do and what he wanted to do were conflicting him. It was as if his heart and his head were in constant battle…..

A scream in the distance drew his attention to the small rectangular window across the room. There was a Screech followed by an explosion and then the screaming was over. His head turned back slowly to the direction his body had been facing. His elbows still on his knees hands clasped in front of him as he rested his chin on them.

He wore a red hoody, light colored blue jeans with a hole in the left knee area and brown work boots. On his left hip was a small hand gun and holstered next to it was a 7 inch serrated knife. He had used that knife recently on another human so there was dried up blood on the handle and a few droplets on the blade itself.

He had been in that place for a grand total of a month and it took only a week before the staff had decided to abandon their post. Hospital workers are suppose to care about the sick and dying. The young man had thought they had taken some sort of oath on the matter. And yet when the time came when it was time for them to show what they were truly made of, most fled like cowards or offered up the ones that were in their care as an offering for their own lives.

The young man closed his eyes to ponder happier times, and was greeted with the quiet of his surroundings. No voices to eavesdrop on, absent was the sounds of feet on the linoleum floor, not even a hospital machine beeping. Just the breeze that hit the tree outside the small rectangular window providing a tap tap tapping sound. And every now and then he heard a bird or two, but then there was a sound he welcomed like the rise of each morning sun. That small sound not far from where he sat. It was the sound of all he had from his old life, his only family, it was the sound of his best friend's breathing.

He opened his eyes and they instantly fell on the still form of a very comatose Ichigo Kurosaki. His orange hair had grown so much that now it hid his eyes from sight not that it would matter. Those eyes haven't seen the light of day for over a month now. Those eyes knew nothing of the horror that awaited them. Those eyes never saw families torn apart, by death and greed. Those eyes haven't witnessed the ugliness of mankind in its darkest days.

Ichigo was in a coma which made for easy pickings, Shuuhei guessed that's what the hospital workers had been thinking the day they came for him. But what they hadn't counted on was Shuuhei. He had fought for his best friend's life. He used any and everything at his disposal.

The first day, they claimed they were taking Ichigo for routine testing.

"Bullshit!" Cried Shuuhei as he held tight to the metal bars of Ichigo's bed. They had been halfway to the door.

"Mr. Hisagi, this patient is none of your concern you are not family." The nurse calmly stated.

"Fuck you lady! I'm his brother, if you take him anywhere I will fight you I can promise you that." Shuuhei stared down the strawberry blonde nurse who looked like she hadn't slept in days. She nervously looked across the bed at Shuuhei trying to appear threatening in her wrinkled disheveled green hospital scrubs.

"Mr. Hisagi this is for his own good."

"Bitch please." Courtesy be damned. "I know what you people are doing offering patients up like steak dinner." The nurses green eyes nearly bugged out her skull. "I will give my life." And then Shuuhei did something he thought he never would do. He pulled out his hunting knife and raised it pointing it at the nurse. And then she was gone. Leaving him with a sleeping Ichigo, whose bed remained in the center of the room where it would stay.

They kept coming back for Ichigo and each time they got a fight from Shuuhei. They kept coming till they were none to come. Shuuhei assumed some were killed by the Aliens while others abandoned the hospital all together.

The young man in question sighed as his thoughts bought him back to the here and now.

_Yes_

He thought to himself.

_Maybe it was for the best for those eyes to stay hidden_

Yes, the man keeping the bedside vigil went by the name of Shuhei Hisagi not that it mattered anymore. Names didn't matter anymore, especially since the next day wasn't promised. And as he sat there watching his best friend breathe in and out he wonder if it would be the humane thing to do, to take the pillow that Ichigo rested his head on and smother him and then once he expired, turn a gun on himself and end their misery.

And as he conjured those thoughts he began to mentally torture himself for ever thinking such horrible thoughts about his best friend. Was he that down in despair that was the only solution for his problems. He hadn't been there long and who knows maybe it wasn't over for mankind, maybe they were busy mounting some spectacular offense and we (humans) will take back our planet in no time and all Shuhei had to do was wait just a little longer. I mean after all he had done so much to keep he and Ichigo alive up until that point. What's a little while longer….to wait.

* * *

><p>"Just breathe in through your nose out through your mouth" That was really dumb advice Grimmjow had to admit to himself but that was all he had to offer Ichigo. He could have muffled the man's cries with his gray fingerless gloves but Ichigo's breathing was already so labored.<p>

The young man with the orange hair and a bullet wound in his lower left abdomen was lying on the cold asphalt tears streaming from his eyes trying his best from screaming out and alerting the coming danger to their position. He had blacked out for only a few seconds before Grimmjow's voice brought him back. He was fighting his death, even his lips felt cold and tingly.

So he thought of any and everything to take his mind off the fact that his best friend Renji had a knife that he had sanitized with fire digging at his wound trying to find the bullet.

The ground gave a violent shake and with each tremble of the earth they knew that the Screechers were approaching.

The group of humans that had chased them had already fled the scene. Renji had gotten no more than a foot from the leader with his gun pointed at Kiskue ready to kill him without hesitation. But then the soft tremors in the earth distracted all of them. It wasn't the first time they felt the earth quake like this but it was the first time Ichigo and his family had felt these type of tremors and Screeching that sounded as if it was miles away.

"The Herd's coming we need to get back to the city." Kiskue calmly stated to his band of brethren. He and his comrades retreated to their vehicle and drove away. They were gone as quickly as they had come into their lives.

Ichigo couldn't tell you what happened after that seeing how he passed out yet again. He had awoken sometime later still on the asphalt with a pain that seared through his body like liquid hot fire. The pain was blinding and as he screamed out for death he was muzzled by his lover's cold hard calloused hands.

"They're coming" Was all he needed to hear before he chocked back his cries of pain. Every attempt to move him to the nearby shelter of the woods was futile seeing how his wounds bled more and it caused him so much pain.

"AGGGHHHH!" Ichigo couldn't help the scream that escaped his lips as Renji dug the blade deeper, the bullet was moving and every time the hunter got close to it, it just moved some more. The young man was trying to be strong, trying to not attract attention to his family, trying to be like Grimmjow had been in the cave that night he had cauterized his wounds.

The farmer was right there by his side, with Ichigo's head in his lap holding his hand, his forehead resting on Ichigo's.

"Hang on, Ichigo please just hang on." The farmer's words only half reached his mind. Shinji was holding Ichigo's lower body, trying to keep the man still.

"Wait...wait I think….yes...yes I got it!" Renji exclaimed. Grimmjow breathed out a sigh of relief, but then there was a rumbled in the earth. "FUCK!" Called out Renji. "I lost it. I fucking lost it."

"E cain take muh more of dis Ren!" Shinji said, he was still holding Ichigo's legs down.

"I no dat dammit!" Snapped Renji

Shinji was sweating profusely and he looked down with his shoulders slumped.

Grimmjow began to run his fingers through Ichigo's hair in an effort to soothe him for what was to come. The young driver mind was swimming and he was past the point of light headed and closer to the brink of death. He was hanging on and he could feel his life draining from him as each second ticked by.

"Grimmjow?" his voice was nothing more than a whisper.

"Yeah Tiger." Grimmjow would give his former charge anything if he just asked him. And as the rumble in the ground shook them to where balancing was not possible anymore and they were now able to hear the screeching off in the distance.

"Dey gett'n closer." Observed Shinji.

"The story Blue." Ichigo managed to choke out.

Both Renji and Shinji had no idea what Ichigo was talking about. And as Renji prepared to go bullet hunting again. Grimmjow began.

_In the great green room_

_There was a telephone_

_And a red balloon_

At least Renji waited after the tremor to go diving. Ichigo bit down on his bottom lip as Shinji desperately tried to keep his body on the ground. Grimmjow's words reached his ears in a strained and pained whisper.

_Goodnight room Goodnight room_

_Goodnight cow jumping over the moon_

He tried to be quiet, honest he did. But Ichigo just couldn't help himself the pain was to much.

"AHHHH HA HA, AGHHHH!" The pain was blinding. He wanted his family to just leave him. He was good as dead anyway. Maybe if he gave up and just died they would finally leave him. Seek shelter. Be safe.

And then somewhere in the distance came the sounds of Shinji's whimpers and Renji's swearing as they began to mix with Ichigo's screams. All the while the farmer recited on.

_Goodnight clocks and goodnight socks_

_Goodnight little house and Goodnight mouse_

He heard Renji yell he had found the bullet but inside his mind he couldn't help but think it was too late. And as the gentle words of his former caretaker and lover continued on, Ichigo let the calmness of the impending darkness soothe him.

_Goodnight stars Goodnight air_

_Goodnight noises everywhere_

* * *

><p>They were alone. At least that is what Shuuhei had come to believe. Mankind was on the brink of extinction and he and Ichigo were all that was left. The young man was losing his mind. With no one to talk to. He was also losing hope with each passing moment. Ichigo had been in a coma for six months now with no signs of waking up.<p>

He yearned for a friend, a companion but being responsible for another life another mouth to feed terrified him more than the thought of being alone.

At the moment he was preparing to go out and brave the day. He had no food and he was hungry, he had eaten all the rations that the hospital had to offer him months ago and now he had to to go out and check the surrounding houses that were still standing for food.

He hated to leave the hospital for two reasons. Ichigo was completely vulnerable lying there in that bed, and if he woke up before Shuuhei got back well the man shuttered to think about that possibility. And secondly it was scary outside behind the safety of these four walls. But he had to do what he had to do.

He had been walking back to the hospital when he seen it. He thought he had been delirious after all he had been alone for six months, barely eating and sleeping and on the brink of broken sanity. So when he saw the white pick up truck full of humans he had thought he had truly gone crazy, because just that morning he had prayed for friends.

A busty young woman with short spiky red hair was passing a card board box to a young boy that looked like her inside the bed of the truck.

"I swear this better be as far south as we have to go." She said to the boy who only nodded in response. "I mean honestly what's the point. Everyone's dead anyway."

Shuuhei was happy, he had no reason to trust these new humans. Not at all, but he was so desperate that he just didn't care anymore. He was lost in the moment but not nearly enough he was about to yell to get their attention until he heard something he wish he hadn't.

"Well you know what Kiskue said. What's left could rise up against him and he will settle for nothing but complete and total domination." This came from a woman with long dark hair and equally dark skin leaning from the driver's window of the truck.

What the hell had she meant by that. Total domination. Only the Alien invaders could claim such a thing. But Shuuhei Hisagi was no fool he wasn't going to stick around to ask that question. He made to turn around and hide someplace when the boy with red hair inside the truck saw him.

"HEY YOU!" The kid yelled pointing at Shuuhei. The young man in question dropped his bag of food and took off running.

But what's the use no one can out run a pick up truck full of blood thirsty humans.

* * *

><p>It was quiet inside the garage at Daytona International Speedway, unnaturally quiet and sunny. He was sitting on top of a red Snap On tool box. He was dressed in his purple and gold fire suit. He took a quick look around the garage stalls, it was full of race cars but there right in front of him was his number 15 Hydekll's Toyota Camry still covered by the black car tarp.<p>

He jumped down and the soft thump of his purple fire shoes on the concrete didn't make the echo he thought it would. He walked back to the back of the small garage stall to the square plexy glass window with the small rectangular mail slot at the bottom. His name and number written in white across a red placard at the top of the window.

"Hmm, no fans." That was odd he thought.

He always had a group of screaming fans at his garage window. He turned around and his mouth fell open. His car was gone, and the rest of the garage was empty. He ran to the front where the opening to the stalls were. He looked expecting to see the row of car Haulers exactly where they should be. But nothing, no one. He began to panic yelling at the top of his voice.

"HELLO!…. ANYONE HERE!"

He ran down hauler row to the entrance of pit road.

"Where is everybody?" He asked of no one.

He turned left, he turned right nothing.

His breathing picked up once he realized he didn't remember how he even got to the track. Why he was at the track.

"Oh gosh, what the hell is going on?" Another question to no one.

Then he had a thought and he began to laugh.

"Okay Shiro, you got me!" He made sure to speak loudly enough.

Just like his twin to play a horrible trick like this on him

"Okay, Okay I give. Come out Shiro." But nothing, no sound, not even a breeze. "Shiro, Shuuhei…..Anybody?"

"They're not coming sweet heart." That sweet voice came from directly behind him. And although it was so far back in his memory. He still knew who it belonged to. He slowly turned around to look into the angelic face of the woman that created him.

"Mom."

* * *

><p>He stood guard by that lake, his gun at the low ready, all his senses on high alert. But truth be told this was all for show, because there is nothing he could do. He would die protecting his family and die he just might. They would all fall one by one if one of the ten feet tall invaders broke ranks and traveled the small distance to where they hid out in the open. So, there he stood watching them as they silently marched pass him one by one shaking the earth as they went.<p>

After Renji removed the bullet from Ichigo's abdomen he seared the wound shut. All the while Ichigo made not a peep because as it was he had passed out either from the pain or the loss of blood. And even though he had seared the wound shut, Renji had a gut feeling that would not be enough. But nonetheless Grimmjow picked the unconscious Ichigo up, cradled the young man close to him and then took off running towards the nearby forest seeking shelter.

They didn't know how far they should go, but distance was all on their minds. They knew what was coming wasn't something they wouldn't survive if they didn't hide. The way the ground trembled beneath their feet told them that there was hundreds of them marching steady to a rhythm, to where none of them knew.

And so they ran, they ran till the shaking of the ground took their feet from underneath them. The ground shook violently, shook like an earthquake. Renji fell to his knees catching himself with his free hand while the other clutched his weapon to his body. Grimmjow fell forwards turning his torso in enough time so he could fall on his back and not on Ichigo. Shinji, tripped on his feet face planting, eating dirt on his landing. Not one of them made a sound as they paused a moment, looking around at each other as if they were able to communicate mentally with one another.

Should they stay put. Should they keep running. Not a word, not a body gesture, nothing between them but stares. Renji was afraid to talk, afraid to breathe, and afraid to move. But he would never say as much to Grimmjow and definitely not to Shinji, who had this unfounded belief that Renji was fearless.

And in that mere few seconds which felt like minutes to the three, the decision was made for them. The trees began to fall. Crashing to the earth with such a force it sent a gush of wind and dirt around the four blanketing them from sight. They continued to fall, one by one, too weak to stand from the alien earth quake but still strong enough to crush the humans.

The family couldn't go back, all they could do was go forward.

So on their feet they stood upon shaky ground. Legs feeling like jelly with every step, running no longer an option. Renji looked over to Grimmjow who clung to Ichigo's still form. Knowing that if it was Shinji he would have done the same.

They moved about 100 feet when they reached a lake. The moon was full that night and it's reflection was bright upon the lake as ripples shuttered across. The trees circling the lake stood their ground. Tall and strong like soldiers guarding this lake. So quiet and pleasant was this place except for the alien march in the background.

Is this their safe haven or is this the place where they would all die?

* * *

><p>AN: I apologize for typos, I'm too exhausted to edit just yet. I'll get to it, I figured you would want the chapter anyway, If not oh well.


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